SPLAT! SPLAT! SPLAT!
Katie's tennis shoes hit the wet pavement, splashing the water over her shoes and her pants. Her legs pumped up and down as she ran frantically. The rain came down in sheets and drenched her to the inside. Her long brown hair stuck against the back of her neck, and her soaked t-shirt was plastered against her back. The green sweatpants she wore were long and baggy, not made for running in. Katie kept going.
The road stretched ahead of her, never seeming to end. She tried to look up, but the droplets fell into her eyes, almost blinding her. She looked down at her shoes splashing the water under them at every step. Not even a step, really. She was taking long, excited strides, running faster than she had ever dreamed she could.
The rain continued to pound down on Katie, and she was forced to close her eyes and run blindly. A stumble into a mud puddle told her that she should open her eyes to see, which she did. She panicked after getting up. She looked behind her quickly, only taking a fraction of a second to check out what was happening behind her.
A dark figure behind her was starting to gain on her. Katie looked straight in front of her and kept running. She knew that if she even had a chance to outrun this person, she would have to avoid any more mistakes. She would have to let the rain do its very worst before she'd give in to it. She was going to make it, no matter what.
Suddenly, the footsteps behind her grew considerably louder. She refused to look behind her, in fear that she would stumble and fall once more. She pushed herself to go faster. She breathed hard, inhaling rain and an occasional insect. She ignored the world around her and concentrated on running. If she let this person overtake her, she would lose it all. She couldn't let that happen.
She sped past a jogger exercising in the rain. His headphones on, he was unaware of the two runners. That is, he was unaware until Katie accidentally bumped into him. He fell to the ground, cursing and yelling at her. She heard her pursuer trip over the fallen man, and suddenly felt bad for him. But there was nothing she could do for him now-safety was in view.
The sight of the intersection of Fourth and Main was a blessing for Katie. All she needed to do is cross Fourth and she'd be safe. The person behind her couldn't overtake her there. She could sit down, rest, and know that the person would be mad that he couldn't get her.
The pursuer started to catch up. Katie panicked again and pushed herself even harder. The sweat blended with the rain as she flew across the asphalt. Her run was coming to a finish. Her hair was no longer slicked down, but flying behind her gracefully. Not even her baggy sweatpants could stop her now. She was faster than the wind, and she crossed Fourth.
The crowd leapt up from their seats and cheered Katie. She collapsed on the ground, but was soon picked up and carried on shoulders and hands around the corners. They carried her to the award platform, where Katie gratefully accepted her first place trophy for the Sunset City Marathon. The man behind her humbly took second-for the first time in his life, he had lost to a teenager.
Katie sat down on the podium and reveled in her achievement.
CandyCaneCar
April 1997
