Chereads / Escape the Cage / Chapter 25 - Cochlear implant

Chapter 25 - Cochlear implant

"Chandler, is that you there?"

Elton shouted towards the inside of the repair shop, his voice echoing in the empty space. Chandler looked back at the shout, and in the dim light stood two men. As Ethan and Elton walked up, Chandler got a good look at Elton's face.

"Old buddy, Elton?" Elton's unkempt appearance, coupled with his disheveled hair and unshaven face, gave him the air of someone who had long since stopped caring about how the world saw him. Chandler looked him up and down, almost not recognizing him. Elton still wore his old, worn-out clothes, despite Aria having bought him new ones that he stubbornly refused to wear.

"Chandler, long time no see. This is Ethan, my apprentice. I actually came to you for something important. Can we sit down and talk?" Elton asked.

Chandler put down the brush he was holding, picked up a clean towel, and washed his hands in a bucket of clean water before drying them off. He invited Elton and Ethan to sit in the resting area of the repair shop, where there were a few chairs and a table.

"Is this about racing?" Chandler hadn't mentioned racing for a long time; the word "racing" seemed like a forbidden term in his life. He found two cups and a bottle of water, pouring drinks for them as he asked.

"Yes, I really need your help this time, even though I haven't talked about racing for a long time," Elton said, slightly pleading.

The atmosphere grew quiet, both men lost in their memories. Ethan watched them, feeling puzzled. He was curious about the true identities of Elton and Chandler. The key now was to get Chandler to agree to help them.

"Give me some time. You know, after that incident, I haven't touched anything related to racing," Chandler said, his refusal tinged with reluctance.

Elton stood up, intending to leave with Ethan. Maybe they should give him some time, Elton thought as they walked away. Chandler also stood up, intending to see his old friend off. He looked at Elton, who seemed worse for wear, and felt a pang of sympathy. As they were leaving the repair shop, a little girl ran over. She wore a pink bubble dress and had two pigtails. Her big, bright eyes sparkled as she ran into Chandler's arms. Chandler knelt down, gently patting her head. The little girl's chubby hands clasped together, and Ethan stepped forward to greet her.

"Hello, little one, how are you?" Ethan said, waving at her, but the girl hid shyly behind her father.

"She can't hear you. She has congenital hearing loss. It can't be cured, and she needs cochlear implants, but they're too expensive," Chandler explained.

Ethan looked at the father and daughter before him, seeing the love between them. As a clone, he had no family and longed for moments like these. His heart ached. Ethan decided to help the little girl. When he and Elton returned home, he told Aria about what had happened. After some discussion and research, they decided to use some of the money Sherry had given them to buy a cochlear implant. They found a medical equipment company online and chose the best one for $45,000. They placed the order, set to be delivered in two days.

Late at night, Elton was still busy in the yard with something. After making the purchase, Ethan went to the yard to check. Elton had set up a steering wheel on a stand with a seat next to it, simulating an F1 car's steering wheel. Starting tomorrow, they would begin practical training.

After a quiet night, Elton woke Ethan early from the sofa. Groggy and disoriented, Ethan looked at his watch; it was only 5:00 a.m. Elton dragged him to two large sandbags and ordered him to strap them to his legs and run up the hill to the racetrack and back.

"What? This route is about 10 kilometers. You mean to run 20 kilometers with these sandbags?" Ethan asked, eyes wide in disbelief.

Elton remained firm. "A top racer needs sharp reflexes and skills, but most importantly, stamina and focus."

Ethan strapped on the heavy sandbags and started running towards the hilltop. The sky was still grey and empty at 5:00 a.m., except for a few night-shift workers heading home and early morning cleaners. As he ran, Ethan was panting and drenched in sweat by the time he returned.

"Not bad," Elton said. "Next, we train your reaction speed."

Elton pulled out two thin sticks, straight and sturdy, ones he had picked up from the mountains. The training was to use these sticks like chopsticks to catch flies in mid-air, an almost impossible task given how fast flies move. It was like trying to catch a tiny black dot in the sky, an exercise that would challenge even catching a small ball.

An hour passed quickly, and Ethan hadn't caught a single fly. Elton shook his head and lightly tapped Ethan with a ruler, like a strict father showing tough love. Over the days they had spent together, Ethan had come to see Elton as a paternal figure.

Finally, real training began. Ethan sat down at the makeshift simulator.

"Alright, Ethan, the first thing you need to understand is the feel of the car. It's not just about turning the wheel; it's about understanding how the car responds to your inputs. Let's start with basic steering."

Ethan nodded, focusing on Elton's instructions.

"Imagine you're approaching a turn. You need to brake first, then gently turn the wheel. Not too hard, not too soft. Feel the resistance." Elton demonstrated with his hands, moving them smoothly as if holding an invisible wheel.

Ethan followed along, turning the wheel slowly. He felt a slight tremor of excitement as he imagined himself on a real track.

"Good. Now, let's talk about apexes. The apex of a corner is the innermost point of the driving line. Hitting the apex means you're maximizing your speed and minimizing the distance traveled. It's all about finding the perfect balance."

Elton adjusted Ethan's hands on the wheel. "As you enter a corner, you want to brake, turn in towards the apex, and then accelerate out of the turn. It's a smooth, fluid motion."

Ethan tried to replicate the motion. His first few attempts were clumsy, but with Elton's guidance, he began to feel more confident. He imagined the apex, turning the wheel smoothly and pretending to accelerate out of the turn.

"Better," Elton said, nodding approvingly. "But remember, it's not just about the hands. Your feet play a crucial role too. Brake gently before the turn, then ease off the brake and start to accelerate as you pass the apex."

Chandler, who had been watching from a distance, stepped forward. "Let's add a bit more realism. Imagine you're in different conditions. How does the car feel in the rain? On a dry track? Each condition changes your approach."

Ethan closed his eyes for a moment, visualizing the scenarios. He felt the imaginary rain, making the road slippery, and the dry track, giving more grip. He adjusted his pretend driving accordingly, braking earlier for the wet conditions and pushing harder on the dry track.

"Excellent," Chandler said. "Now, let's talk about oversteer and understeer. Oversteer is when the rear of the car slides out, and understeer is when the car doesn't turn enough. Both can be managed with the right inputs."

Elton nodded. "If you feel the car oversteering, countersteer – turn the wheel in the opposite direction of the skid. For understeer, ease off the throttle and let the car regain traction."

Ethan practiced these techniques, imagining the car sliding out and correcting it with quick, precise movements. His confidence grew with each successful maneuver.

"Alright," Elton said, "let's combine everything. Approach a corner, brake, turn, hit the apex, accelerate out, and be ready to correct any slides."

Ethan took a deep breath, visualizing the sequence. He gripped the wheel, pressed the pedals, and went through the motions. Brake, turn, apex, accelerate. He felt a surge of accomplishment as he imagined nailing the perfect turn.

Ethan was a fast learner, Elton's teaching was helpful, and soon it was dinner time, and the three of them were sitting inside the courtyard, eating the dinner that Aria had made, with Ethan on the sidelines, still trying to catch flies in the air with that stick...