The crackling of thunder followed a swift bolt of lightning that tore through the city's dark, night sky. The rain poured down hard at 11:00 pm, and the clustered streets were filled with vehicles and citizens of the rat race trying to head home after a long, strenuous workday.
Two individuals, in particular, scrambled through the rain, their boots plunging into puddles as they headed toward their apartment building. These two were eighteen-year-old Luca and his sixteen-year-old sister, Sophia. Luca was merely dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, now soaked, while his sister wore a coat that he had given her as they navigated through the rain, hurrying into the building.
Luca was freezing cold, shivering in pain as the chilly rainwater salted the wounds and bruises on his face and arms. But he endured it, guiding his sister up the stairs until they arrived at their family's apartment door. The strong stench of old cigarettes, sweat, and rotting food from the overflowing trash bin nearby filled the hallway.
"Are you alright?" he asked Sophia with a hoarse voice, surprised he could still speak after receiving a heavy blow to his throat.
Sophia simply nodded, warm in the coat Luca had given her after he had come looking for her late at night. She glanced at her brother as he searched himself for his keys before groaning in frustration.
He must have lost his keys during the fight that had left him bruised. Luca had gone looking for his sister at 10 pm after she had failed to obey their home's curfew for the fifth night in a row. He had just come back from working his grueling shift at the steel mill, where he spent hours lifting heavy machinery, only to earn $300 at the end of the month. The pay was barely enough to support his mother, who worked as a waitress at a small diner, and cover their basic needs. Acquiring a job at the steel factory was all he could get after dropping out of school to support his widowed mother.
Yet, despite his exhaustion and weariness, Luca had barely set foot through the door when his mother pleaded with him to go find their notorious runaway once again. This time, she had stayed out even longer, and she was only sixteen for that matter.
Luca was bone-tired, suggesting they could wait a little while—Sophia might turn up on her own—but his mother's plea was something he couldn't say no to. Sensing the impending storm, he grabbed a coat and darted out into the bustling streets, his eyes and muscles aching with fatigue, in search of his sister.
He found her partying late at night at a friend's house with a group of older kids she definitely wasn't supposed to be hanging around with. When Luca confronted her and insisted she leave, the drunken boys mistook him for an intruder and attacked him with heavy blows. Luca fought back, refusing to let them have the upper hand, and at that very moment, the skies tore open, drenching everything with rain. It took a while before one of Sophia's friends stepped in, confirming that the tall boy in the coat was indeed her brother.
Luca hadn't spoken to his sister the entire walk back home until they had entered the building, both of them soaked and silent. After fumbling for his keys with no success, Luca gave up and knocked on the door. Within seconds, it was opened by their mother.
"Oh my God! Luca, what happened to you?!" she cried out, immediately reaching for her son. "You're covered in blood and bruises!"
"I'm fine, mom," Luca said wearily, urging his mother who was coming out back inside, and everyone else.
"Fine?! How are you fine?!" she demanded, her voice rising with both anger and worry as her fingers prodded his face. "You look like you were run over by a stampede! You are not fine—you need medical attention, now."
"Mother, I said I'm fine. Please, let's settle in. It's almost midnight," Luca grumbled, shutting the door behind them as the warmth of their home enveloped him. The faint smell of potatoes simmering in the kitchen hit his nose, and his stomach growled in response.
"And you!" Mrs. Rennick thundered, pointing an accusatory finger at her daughter. "Where have you been with those long legs of yours at this hour?! Haven't I warned you that I will not tolerate such stupid behavior?!"
Luca walked past his mother and sister, heading into the kitchen where he slumped into a chair at the counter table. Resting his forehead against the cool surface, he clenched his teeth as the bruises pulsed with pain, stinging his senses.
Sophia was speaking back at mother when a nasty slap landed on her cheek. Luca's head shot up immediately, his gaze locking onto his sister, who stood there with her cheek reddening. Sensing the escalating tension, Luca ordered, "Sophia, go to our room." Without a word, the girl stomped away in fury.
Unapologetic for the disciplining measure, Mrs. Rennick turned her attention back to Luca. She quickly retrieved a medkit and began tending to his injuries, urging him to take off his soaked shirt.
As she worked, her eyes drifted toward the scattered mail on the table, the letters she had been sorting before Luca returned from his strenuous work. "You got a letter today," she said, glancing up at him.
"I did?" Luca winced slightly as the antiseptic stung his wounds. "What's it about?"
Mrs. Rennick's gaze remained steady on Luca's brown eyes. "You didn't tell me you applied for the urgent track marshal position at the Stadhaven Circuit?" she asked with an unperceptive, soft smile.
Luca's eyes lit up with a hint of insecurity as he flickered his gaze between the letters on the table and his mother. "How did you know about that?" he asked, lowering his tone. "Did I get the job?"
Mrs. Rennick smiled proudly as she finished bandaging his arm and gently plastered his cheek. "Yes, they gave you the job," she beamed with concealed excitement. "How great is that?!"
Luca frowned, lowering his gaze as he picked up the letter, reading it for himself. Indeed, he had been offered the position of a track marshal, a role they were desperate to fill before the big race tomorrow.
His mother noticed his deadbeat expression and she frowned in return. "What's wrong, son?" she asked softly.
Luca couldn't quite grasp why he had applied for the job in the first place. He had seen the ad in a newspaper while at work at the factory. He disliked racing and everything about it. He even disliked the town his family had moved to, with its constant buzz around the race track each week. The teeth of poverty had gnawed at him the very moment he applied for this job. Now, seeing the result with a clearer head, and the smell of potatoes shimmering in the pot behind them, Luca's original feelings toward racing returned. "Silly me, Mom. Just forget about it. I have no intention of working at some race circuit," Luca muttered, pushing the paper aside and focusing on his bruises.
Luca's mother's frown deepened as she stared at him with a mix of disbelief and concern. "I don't understand, Lukey? You just got a job paying $500 per week, and you are saying silly you? Silly you indeed!"
"Mom, please, let's just drop this—"
"Drop what? No!" She boomed, trying to keep her voice low as she checked his skull. "Did they hit you hard up here? My son would never turn down such an offer, and…" Mrs. Rennick's words trailed off as her gaze grew distant. The realisation that this was more than just a rejection of the job hit her: it was grief about something that happened years ago, something that had changed their entire lives. She gulped, lowering her voice as she peered into his freckled face. "Honey, don't tell me it's because of your father?"
Luca locked gazes with her, his eyes filled with tiredness and frustration as he gritted his teeth. "I prefer I don't tell you anything else about this. Let's eat and go to bed," he said.
Mrs. Rennick shook her head, gently holding his arm down. "You can't let what happened with your dad keep you from moving forward, Lukey. What happened doesn't define your path; it's how you respond that matters," she whispered.
"There is progress, mom, there are lots of paths to come, but I won't take any that deals with racing," he muttered his reply.
"Are you afraid of your life? You won't be racing, you will only be an official there, a marshal," she persuaded.
"My life's not in danger."
"Then what is it? You can't expect me to be at ease knowing you turned down a good-paying job that could help us," she said, tears forming in her eyes already. "Is it because you'll be publicly visible? Because your friends might see you at the track? Tell me something, Luca, so I can understand."
Luca shook his head slowly. Yes, it was about the fact that his father had been a professional Formula One racer and had died in a tragic racing accident. Luca was still struggling to cope with the loss, especially given the close bond he had with his father. And yes, many of his mates he knew were planning to attend the race tomorrow, and seeing him working at the track would only compound the humiliation he had felt all his life.
But after looking at his mother's face and their cramped two-bedroom apartment, Luca felt a pang of shame. Who am I kidding? He had a potential good-paying job, having no idea how long it might last for him due to its urgency tag, and he was here letting his emotions cloud his judgement. He cursed himself silently.
"Fine, mom, I'll take the job," he muttered.
Mrs. Rennick's frown instantly turned into a smile as she gently clasped his hands. "You'll call the number on the letter and claim your spot?"
"I will, mom, do not worry," Luca replied, forcing a smile.
"Thank you so much!" Mrs. Rennick cried out, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.
Luca's heart melted, though the embrace stung his bruises a bit.
The rest of the night proceeded as usual, albeit later than usual. After having his dinner and a cold bath, Luca slipped into his only pair of pajamas and entered the room he shared with Sophia.
He sank into his bed, staring at the ceiling with the job acceptance letter and a telephone in his grasp. He could hear Sophia's cries and complaints about their mother's punishment, but he chose not to respond. Listening was good enough for her, and soon she drifted off to sleep.
With the serenity and quietness he desired, Luca dialed the number on the letter. The call was answered immediately.
To his surprise, the conversation went smoothly. They confirmed he had been selected to fill the vacant position for tomorrow's game, with a payment of $500 to be made immediately after. They also mentioned that he had called just in time, as they had begun considering other alternatives.
Maybe the universe wants me to do it.
A thought crossed Luca's mind. He rolled off his bed and reached for the shelf beneath an old TV stand. He drew open the shelf, a cloud of dust making him sneeze. It had been years since he last opened this shelf, not even after their move.
He reached inside and pulled out an old gaming console, coated in dust as well. Blowing off the surface, Luca connected the game box to the TV and turned it on. The screen flickered with colorful bars before displaying the gaming interface.
Luca's heart ached as he glanced at the second console. He remembered playing on this set with his father, who always made time for him. He sighed deeply and selected the Racing Mode on the screen, deciding to play until sleep took over.