Witness: The Final Countdown

My grip was slipping with sweat. My eyes were straining to see the track. One more lap. One more lap to endure. One more lap to prove myself. I hear the cries of engines behind, waiting for their moment.

I trained for this moment the entire summer. Countless hours spent at the track, honing my skill. To me, this race was a passage entering adulthood. I was tired of being looked down on because of age. I needed to be considered equal. Winning this race would prove to everyone I belonged. One more lap.

The cries of engines become howls. They were right behind me. "Come on, come on" I mouthed. The summer of experience told me Yoshi was tiring. The green dinosaur and I had been through too much to lose the Special Cup on the final lap. We had frozen in the icy tundra of Sherbet Island; traveled through the sands of the Kalimari Desert, and finished first against the evil spirits in Bowser's Castle. This was my time, and no mushroom head Toad was going to take it from me. One more lap. However, there was a problem. Toad was controlled by my sister. She and Toad were the Yin to my Yang, my Pokemon Red to Pokemon Blue. If I were going to prove myself, it would be through her. One more lap.

The colorful track of Rainbow Road became an epileptic blur. Toad and the others ready to pass. I made my choice. Entering the large jump, I turned left hard, and hopped over the rails. The next few moments seemed to linger forever as I watched Yoshi free fall into nothingness. Then Yoshi landed. I had never experienced such bliss, I was halfway through the lap with the others far behind. Though, nothing worth having comes easy. My sister inconceivably made the jump. We were neck and neck for the remainder of the course. Trading bandannas and green shells.

The finish line was in sight. The mystery boxes past us, this was a battle of will. What happened next was unimaginable. I inch ahead ready to take the glory. I was ready to burst with ecstasy. Then my sister pauses the race, and quits the game. My hearted stopped. She claimed I cheated on the second lap when I stole her mushrooms with a ghost. With my childhood still intact, I walked away knowing I had it in me.