Seanday Shorts: Motocross Promise

I casually walked back with Mike and cracked open a beer. "Cheers buddy," I grinned clicking his bottle.

Mike stopped and checked out the huge scoreboard at the end of the stadium. "Looks as if John and Chris are in the finals," he said raising his beer.

We still had some time, so we both found a spot at the side of the tracks and watched the final round of the counties Motocross championships. "Their all good, but not as good as Cody and Jefferson," I joked nudging Mike.

"Hey watch it. Don't spill my beer," Mike growled licking the foam from the top of the bottle. We watched the bikes racing around the flat at the base of the hill and then power up the side of the hill, and then chase back down the other side. A tight corner at the bottom and then into a couple of jumps and a table top.

We started to walk back to the pits, we'd parked at the back of the lot looking for a little privacy. "Well, I guess we'd better wrap this up," I said to Mike finishing my beer.

It was quiet, and I smiled at Tony and Chris still fast asleep on the bed of the pickup. "Poor guys, run ragged. That last race was hard on them," I smiled.

Mike got on his tiptoes and looked at the two sleeping riders; their chests rising and falling slowly. "They look relaxed, lets hope they've recharged their batteries enough for the final," he said with a concerned tone in his voice.

I slapped Tony's thick thigh. "They'd better be, they've been asleep for almost an hour. Ready?"

Mike nodded and slapped Chris's blue pants. "You ready to go buddy?" There was no reply, not that either of us was expecting one.

Mike pushed on Chris's knees sliding him further on the pickup. Push his legs apart Mike jumped up on the bed between his legs. I reached up and grasped his hands shaking them hard. "For Chris, and for Tony."

I watched as Mike leaned back and wriggled into Chris's bigger frame. I rested a hand on Tony's thigh and waited. It seemed like ages and then Chris coughed and sat up wiping some drool from his mouth. "Oh, fuck what a rush man," he groaned holding his head.

A call went out over the PA, "Five minutes for final, riders please report to scrutineering."

Chris shook Tony and looked at me. "You'd better get your shit together man, times running out."

I grasped Tony's boots and pushed him into back on the pickup a little. Chris jumped down and stretched looking like he'd been asleep for a week. I climbed up, and sat on the bed just like Mike had. I looked at Chris, and he nodded.

Leaning back I felt Tony's chest against my back. I took a deep breath and felt myself being pulled inside Tony, and then darkness.

Through the darkness, I could hear myself breathing, long and purposeful. It echoed around my head, and then I saw brightness and felt myself rushing towards the light.

Then I realised I was blinking, staring at the sky. "Fuck!" I coughed and sat up holding my head.

"Easy Tony, deep breathes," Chris whispered.

I looked down at the familiar red and white pants, I knew they where Tony's lucky ones. I rubbed the stubble on my chin, it was always a rush. Tony was ten years older than me, twelve years difference between Mike and Chris.

Jump down from the pickup I stretched and a Tony's memories flooded back. I flinched as the memory of the accident surfaced again. Pushing the thought down I knew the commitment we'd both promised to these guys. To live their lives, as best we could.

We pulled on the pads, shirts and helmets punching each others chests for luck. On the bikes, we kicked them into life and left for the scrutineering."