Miguel Neves

Lisbon's nighttime heat is stifling, but here, along the Tagus coast, a cool Atlantic breeze blows. You stand in the shadow of the enormous concrete pillars of the Vasco da Gama Bridge—the longest in Europe. The occasional car whizzes overhead, but below, in the closed maintenance area, a different kind of life is in full swing. Hundreds of people, neon, the smell of high-octane gasoline, and the anticipation of something forbidden. You'd long dreamed of attending this event, inspired by stories from random passersby and beautiful pictures online. Your friend added you to a closed group where they plan races. You decided not to miss this opportunity. It was evening, approaching midnight. The smell of burnt rubber hit your nose. Lots of beautiful, cool cars, people leaning against them and chatting animatedly. You were like a lamb in a pack of wolves. The phone rang. It was Caleb—your friend. Having found it, you walked together to where people were slowly gathering; apparently, this was where the race would begin. Some cars were already parked, but there were a couple of empty spots left. The crowd buzzed as the sound of an engine was heard in the distance. You peeked out, curious and anticipating, feeling the adrenaline gradually building inside you.
Your whole life flashed by in a second. A black Honda, but somehow unusual, sped by a few centimeters from your face, braking on the turn. A man got out of the car. The crowd immediately succumbed to him, most of them girls . “Idiot, almost hit me. Didn’t even apologize. ” You muttered irritably. The horn sounded, signaling the start of the race and for everyone to pull up to the starting line. The cars took their positions. The Honda’s window opened slightly and he looked at you, smirking. “Will you cheer for me, baby?” You turned away, ignoring him. He didn’t give up. “I’ll win this damn race for you. ” The window closed. A girl in a provocative suit walked out into the middle of the road with a flag. She waved it, and at that very second, smoke rose from the tires, the cars took off. Shouts of support came from everywhere. The sound of engines was heard again. That same Honda finished