“Thundering Horses”
Chapter 3


“Where the hell are you going Jon?” Keith says as he watches Jon turn onto a street that takes him out of the way of the shop.

“Should I follow him…?” Rain asks.

“No go straight, I have no idea where he is going, if he thinks he will get there faster that way he is crazy. Don’t let up go…” Keith says pointing down the road. Rain gives Alice more gas as they fly down the road.

“So Rain where you from?” Keith asks him, “Turn left at the stop sign and follow the road.” Keith adds as they come up to a stop sign.

“Oregon…” Rain tells him not taking his eyes from the road.

“Oregon?! You mean it stops raining there long enough to race.” Keith says laughing. Rain gives a chuckle as he sees Jon pull up to a stop sign just ahead of them.

“Watch him he is slick.” Keith says as they fly by Jon.

Jon floors the Stang as it gets sideways shooting him off down the road behind Rain and Keith.

“It does not rain all the time out there.” Rain says as he sees Jon make a move to come around him, Rain inches over a little to the left into the other lane to keep him from passing him.

“Don’t give him too much room on the right or he will swing past you on the flip side.” Keith tells him.

Rain sees a light up ahead, “Keep it to the floor it will be green by the time you get to it.” Keith says.

Rain looks at him, “Trust me if you can handle this car you can make that corner, get on 370 and follow it to North, you will be on an open Highway once up there let’s see what you and Alice can do. If you can keep Jon from going around you on a three-lane highway, you are good enough to run with us.” Keith tells him with a grin.

Rain looks at Keith as they come up to the corner, “Hang on I will you show what my Alice can do, Jon will not get past us.” Rain says.

Rain romps on the gas as they fly through the light Alice hangs in the corner as her backend kicks out and Rain brings her back around shooting up the off ramp on 370, with Jon hot on his bumper. Once they were on 370, the race was on; it was midday and barely any traffic on the road. Jon darts over into the fast last, as Rain is a cars length in front of him, in the center lane. Jon starts to pull up next to Rain and Keith; he looks over at them and smiles as he gives a slight wave and starts pulling away from them.

“I do not think so.” Rain says.

Rain gives Alice more gas as they start to pull back up next to Jon. Keith looks over at Jon and smiles a clever but devilish grin at him.

Keith sits back in the seat looking straight ahead as he tells Rain, “What are you waiting for? In a quarter mile, you have to get off. You better do something now or back off it dude.”

Rain looks down at his speedometer, “I am already doing 80 Keith.”

“You have a problem with that Rain?” Keith asks him. “Are you going to beat him or lose?”

Rain gave it more gas as Jon stayed right with him. Just then, they saw Jon back off, pulling in behind Rain.

“Our exit, see it?” Keith says pointing at the exit just ahead.

Rain looks behind him seeing Jon starting to drift to the next lane and pulling up to his side. Rain gives it more gas pulling away from him as he does a dash two lanes over to get on to the exit.

Keith starts to laugh, “Well I can see you’re up to doing a two lane dash.”

Rain sees a green light at the bottom on the exit as he keeps on the gas he asks Keith, “Left or right?”

“Left…” Keith quickly responds.

Rain lets off the gas slightly as he slides into the corner going under 370 he pulls the car back from its fishtail as he shoots down the road to the shop where Chris and Jen are working on the Camaro.

“See the IGA down there on the corner?” Keith asks Rain.

“Yeah… on the left?” Rain said.

“The road next to it… and don’t take out the fence there on the corner, Trigger did that with the Impala last month the guy was not happy.” Keith told him. Rain started to laugh as he saw Jon moving up behind him on his right.

“Here he comes again.” Rain says.

“Watch him he will take every shot he can to get around you to get to the shop first.” Keith says as he looks out the side mirror on his side of the car, seeing Jon coming up on them quick.

“The shop is right there when you go around the corner it is on the left, right behind the liquor store.” Keith tells him. Rain starts to come up on the road quickly as he starts to slow down for the corner. Jon comes up quick behind him as both cars dart around the corner. Chris and Jen look out from under the hood of the Camaro seeing the Stang and Nova slide sideways into the parking lot.

“I cannot believe Keith put Rain up against Jon for his first rat race.” Chris says looking out at them as they climb out of the cars.

“Hey at least they will find out how safe he is that way.” Jen says watching them as well.

“Like they have any room to talk about being safe,” Chris says looking back at her.

“Out of everyone in the group besides you they are the only other two that have not been in an accident or wrecked their cars.” Jen says still watching the guys as they walk in.

“That still does not make them safe.” Chris says.

“Like you got room to talk Sis,” Keith says walking into the shop.

“You guys drive like idiots when you get behind the wheel of your cars.” Chris says looking down into the motor compartment of the Camaro.

“But we are aware of what is around us and what is going on at all times, when we get behind the wheel.” Keith says.

Chris looks up at them, “That is the only thing I can say about you two you not only know what is going on in the car you know what is going on outside the car as well, but your still crazy when you drive.”

“Crazy us… At least we are not the ones racing Trains.” Jon exclaims.

Rains eyes widen as he looks at Chris, “You race Trains!!” He exclaims as he smiles at her, “That has got to be some kind of a rush there.”

Chris smiles as she goes back to the motor of the Camaro to tighten a bolt. “Do not get any crazy ideas Rain it is not a safe thing to do. So do not think your car could do it and I only do it in one car…” Chris was saying as Jon cut her off.

“BULL-SHIT!!” Jon says in a cough.

“Ok so I have been known to use a couple of others, but that is only if I know they can take the track crossing in front of the Train.” Chris says.

“WHAT… YOU CROSS THE TRACK AS WELL!! IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY!!” Rain yells.

“What kind of a race would it be if I could not beat the train to the crossing, how do you think I know if I beat the train I have to see how much time I have before the train comes through the crossing.” Chris tells him.

“So you’re telling me you race the Train to the crossing, cross over the tracks just to see if you can do it before the Train blocks you from the other side?” Rain asks her.

“Yep that is exactly what she does.” Jen says.

“That’s craziness you will get yourself killed by doing that.” Rain says.

“We are all going to die someday. Might as well be doing what we love to do when we bite the bullet.” Chris tells him still working on the car.

“Racing a Train and racing a car is two different things.” Rain says.

“Yeah and what are they? It does not matter what you were you race it is all dangerous no matter if you’re a Pro or an Amateur the danger is all the same.” Chris says not looking up. Rain stood there as he looked at the others to help.

“Dude do not look at us for help we all do our crazy things behind the wheel of our cars. We all have that ultimate rush we look for in a race Chris’s just happens to be Train’s.” Jon says.

“But… But that is just crazy.” Rain says.

“Yeah but what a russssh.” Chris says everyone gives a slight laugh as they all go on to do their business with their cars. Rain walks around the car as he goes to lean in the window and look in.

He pulls his head out and says, “Ok I can understand the 5 point harness, but why did you leave the original seatbelts as well.” Rain says.

“This car is as original as we could keep it. I tried to keep it that way for the car shows.” Chris says.

“It is the same as Baby she is original, but up graded as well.” Jen says.

Chris starts to laugh at Jen as she wipes her forehead with her forearm. “Up graded huh?” Chris says, “I think there are better words for it Jen.”

“I like the word up graded Thank you. Modified sounds to… well too unoriginal when it comes to a car.” Jen tells her. Chris laughs as Rain shakes his head at her.

“So where is this so called Baby I keep hearing about?” Rain says.

Chris points over her shoulder with her thumb to a door standing open behind her. Rain looks toward the door then slowly starts walking toward it. He stops at the door seeing another building standing there.

“I guess she is in there?” Rain asks, as he looks back seeing Chris and Jen walk toward him.

Chris smiles at him, “Her and many others, some of the other guys park their cars here to keep them safe from the weather.”


They start walking toward the garage where Baby was parked. Chris opens the door to a pitch-black room. She reaches in around the corner of the door and flips on a light. The lights hum and flicker a few times before they come on completely. Rain stands there looking at about 12 different cars that are parked in this garage some are coved some are not. His eyes light up as they fall on Whistles ‘76 Cobra 2, white with blue racing stripes, and blacked out windows. Next to it, he sees Tim’s ’65 Impala all white. On the other side of the Cobra sat an Orange ‘72 Maverick, next to it was a Tan lowered Nissan PU with a Band-Aid Painted on the front passenger fender that said ‘Ouch’. He kept looking around seeing car after car that caught his eyes looking for a car that might even be close to what he thought Chris might drive. He then saw Jen’s car a ‘99 Eclipse GST, Purple with silver purl and mirrored windows.

“Wow that looks sharp.” Rain says.

“Thanks that’s my ride there. So do you think you know what car is Chris’s Baby?” Jen asks him.

“I see a few that are really sharp, but not sure if Chris’s Baby is one that is covered or showing.” Rain says.

Chris walks over to a car under a cover as she pulls up the corner of it showing only the nose of the car.

“Is that an Olds 442?” Rain exclaims. Chris nods walking to another car and doing to same to it.

“That’s a GTO Boss!” Rain yells. Chris smiles and walks to another car, doing the same to it.

“Is that Vett?” Rain asks her.

“64 split window… Daddy’s car.” Chris tells him.

“That is awesome does he let you guys drive it?” Rain asks her.

Jen and Chris laugh, “Right just like I let him drive my car.” Chris says as she grabs a car cover on the next car pulling it off to reveal a ’69 Fastback 2 plus 2 Mustang, Purple with a bronze purl the car looked like it had 6 different colors in its paint job because of the purl mixed in the purple. The windows were tinted a bronze hazed looking tint. Chris walked to the front of the car and popped the hood lifting it up; she walked to the driver side door opening the door and then reached inside the car and popped the trunk. She walked to the front of the car again and looked at Rain standing there, as he looked down on to a 429-cobra jet motor.

“I cannot believe you have a 429 in this thing.” Rain said.

“Why is that Rain? It is one of the best motors Ford has for this year car. It has a three speed on the floor, c6 Trans, a 9-inch rear-end with a Detroit locker. I could not ask for any thing better street or track. Not for this car as heavy as it is anyway.” Chris tells him.

“No… it is not that I think it is bad, it is just like trying to find a needle in a hay stack a 429 cobra jet is not an easy motor to come by.” Rain says.

Jen laughs saying, “Then he will really freak when he finds what you got in the Camaro.”

Rain looks at Chris then back at Jen, “What do you have in the Camaro?”

“Nothing much, just an all aluminum 512 cubic inch big-block, with a munsi rock crusher and a twelve bolt posi with 410 gears.” Chris tells him.

Rain starts to laugh at them as he shakes his head, “I am not running with an ordinary group here, am I?”

“Let’s just say we can find the imposable… If you want to pay the price for it that is.” Jen tells him.

“Well then… I will be sure to bring you my list I made for Santa this year and see what you can come up with.” Rain says laughing.

“A List for Santa… Well now I guess it is now a list for Santa’s Helpers.” Chris says as she closes everything up on Baby and recovers her. The three of them go back to the Camaro in the main garage so Chris and Jen could get her done for her paint job tomorrow.


The next morning Chris walks down the hall of the Science building half asleep she yawns covering her mouth. Chris walks over to her locker and starts turning the lock to open the locker door as soon as she gets the combination completed she lifts the handle and starts opening the door Chris yawns again as she closes her eyes while she yawns.

Just then, Chris feels the handle of the locker door yanked from her hand as her locker door slams shut. Chris slowly turns seeing two guys standing behind her, she had seen the two guys before and she knew they were not from around the area. One was her height with dark brown hair and the other tall like her brother with dirty blonde hair.

“So you are WS?” The tall blonde said.

Chris looks at him saying, “And what if am?”

“We have a challenge for you.” The one dark haired guy said.

Chris rolls her eyes and turns around going back to open her locker again as she says, “Go home… I am not interested in your challenges.” The one blonde guy sets his hand on Chris’s shoulder as he turns her to face him.

Chris jerks away from him as she says loudly, “Are you def or stupid I told you to go home? You’re out of your league…” Chris got a few peoples attention when she raised her voice at the two guys. Elizabeth one of the girls her and Jen knew heard her and ran off to get anyone of Chris’ friends.

The tall blonde lightly pushes Chris back into the lockers saying, “I will show you out of my league.”

Chris steps forward as Mr. Bliss the Science teacher walks up behind the boys he sets his hand on the tall blonde’s shoulder as he says, “Do we have a problem here Christine?”

The two boys turn seeing a teacher as the one dark headed guy says, “We were just talking Sir.”

“Umm… Well I have to say what ever you are talking about has upset Christine here. What are your names and I know you do not attend school here, what are you doing here at this school?” Mr. Bliss asks them.

“My name is Jamie, we needed to talk to Christine. Our school is out today. So we thought we would take a drive over here to see her.” Jamie tells him.

Mr. Bliss looks at the dark haired one as he asks, “And you?”

“I go to the same school as him. I came along for the ride.” The dark haired one said.

Mr. Bliss laughed as he says, “Not too smart are you son? What is your name?”

“Sorry Sir Alex.” The boy said.

“Ok Jamie and Alex… I am going to give you two exactly 5 seconds to get your butts out of my school and off my campus or you are not going to like what happens next.” Mr. Bliss told them.

The boys looked at one another and then back at Chris as Jamie tells her, “You better be there tonight… Highway 370… Ten o’clock…”

Chris shakes her head as she says, “Wait all night for all I care I got other plans.” Chris turns around going back to her locker as Keith, Jon, Mike, and Jen come running down the hall. Mr. Bliss was still standing next to Chris in the hall as they come running up to them.

“What the hell was Jamie and Alex doing here?” Keith asks.

Chris was digging in her locker as she says, “They want to race Baby.” Chris closed her locker as she turned walking away from everyone.

“Hey what’s up with you Sis? I was talking to you.” Keith grabs Chris’ shoulder and stops her when Keith says, “What are you going to do about it?”

Chris looks at Keith over her shoulder as she says in a calm voice, “Nothing…” Chris turns walking away again.

“WHAT?!” Jen and Jon exclaimed.

“Baby has an unbeatable record with everyone within a 100 miles of us.” Jon says.

“That’s right so why should I race someone that does not matter to me or Babies record. I am board with racing losers I want a challenge.” Chris says still walking away.

Jen runs up to Chris as she says, “Where do you plan on finding this challenge? If you do not accept other challenges.”

“I know I am not going to find it in those two bozos.” Chris says not looking at Jen.

“How do you know the challenge was from them? Maybe it was from someone else and they were only delivering the message for them.” Mr. Bliss says.

Chris turns around looking at Mr. Bliss as he says, “And how would you know this if you did not show up. You could be passing up a good race.”

Chris starts walking back towards Mr. Bliss as she says, “And then when I do show up and its nothing. I have wasted my time and theirs. After all, a true racer never sends a messenger boy to make a challenge they do it themselves.”

Chris stops looking at Mr. Bliss as he says, “Back in our days we did it all the time.” Chris’ eyes widen as did Keith’s, and the others.

“WHAT?!” Mike exclaimed.

“You use to race Mr. Bliss?” Jen asks him.

Mr. Bliss nodded as he said, “My group of friends where know all around these parts of being the fastest street racers around, No Body could beat us and I mean No Body.”

“WOW…” Jon said, “Who would have known.” Jon chuckles as Keith asks Mr. Bliss, “What did you drive?”

“I had a little 3 window 32 Ford Coup, fastest little car that hit the streets back then. She was jet black and purred like a kitten.” Mr. Bliss says as he looked like he was daydreaming of the good old days. “Her and I were like Christine and Baby are… One. When I sat behind the drivers wheel…”

Chris cut Mr. Bliss off as she replied, “I am Baby and Baby is me. I become one with my car. I know her every pain, I know her every weakness and strength, and it is like she knows mine.”

Mr. Bliss smiles looking at Chris as he says, “Spoken like a true street racer Christine.”

Chris looks at Mr. Bliss as she says, “I have to know my car’s ins and outs. I am not only putting my life on the line when I race, but the person next to me. If I mess up the slightest bit or Baby is not in top shape. It could mean the end for everyone there.”

“Very true and knowing your car and what it can and cannot do, makes for a great street racer.” Mr. Bliss says.

“Unlike these punks that get out there with their cars the first time out and race.” Mike says.

“The idiots that drink or think drugs are cool to do while you’re racing.” Jon says.

“Some of them get real lucky and walk away, but I have seen a few that did not get so lucky.” Keith says.

“Same here…” Jen says.

Just then, the tardy bell rang for everyone to be in class as Keith, Jon, Mike, Jen and Chris darted off to their morning classes leaving Mr. Bliss there alone.

Mr. Bliss started to laugh as he says aloud, “That bunch of kids reminds me of me and my friends when we were growing up.”

He turns sliding his hands into his pockets walking to his class as well still chuckling and thinking back to his racing days.

Thundering Horses Chapter 4