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Home / Emotional Realism Short Story / The Ghost in His Mirror / Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

All Chapters of The Ghost in His Mirror: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

"Jake Carter, so what if you topped qualifying? In the final, you're moving aside for Mason Vale. That's the team's order!"Coach Wade Barrett slammed the strategy board onto the table, jabbing a finger at my nose so hard that spit flew from his mouth.I sat in the corner of the locker room, looking down at the badly worn racing gloves in my hands. I said nothing."Are you deaf? I'm talking to you!" Wade stormed over and kicked the chair in front of me.The chair crashed into the metal locker with a loud bang.I slowly lifted my head and looked at his face, twisted with anger."Why?" I asked."Why?" A contemptuous voice came from the doorway.Mason Vale walked in wearing a brand-new custom racing suit, casually twirling my helmet in his hands.He stopped in front of me, looked down at me, and curled his lip into a mocking smile."Because I'm the absolute core of this team. Because I'm last year's champion."And you're nothing but a benchwarmer who can't even bring in a spons

Chapter 2

Wade immediately chimed in beside him, his face fierce."Jake Carter, don't push your luck! Mason's willing to let you play support for him. That's him showing you respect!"If you dare ruin Mason's race on the track, I'll make sure you're finished in this sport!"I looked at the helmet under Mason's foot. A crack had already appeared across the visor.It was the helmet my father had once worn.Slowly, I loosened my fists, bent down, and reached for it.Mason pressed harder, pinning it in place."Beg me." He smiled arrogantly, as if looking at a beaten dog."Kneel and beg, and I'll give this piece of junk back to you."I lifted my eyes and looked at his smug face."Mason Vale, you'd better pray that tomorrow, your taillights stay on in front of me."I yanked hard and pulled the helmet out from under his foot.Mason's foot slipped. He stumbled and nearly fell.Humiliated, he pointed at my back and cursed."You little bastard! Are you threatening me?"I didn't turn around.

Chapter 3

Mason's face changed. He tried to pull his hand back, only to find mine locked on him like a steel clamp."Mason Vale, you'd better pray your life is hard enough." I stared straight into his eyes.Seeing this, Wade rushed over like a mad dog and shoved me away."Jake Carter! What are you doing? Trying to hit someone?"Security! Get security here! Throw him out!"Several guards came running and surrounded me.I shook out my wrist, swept a cold look over Wade and Mason, then turned and left the pit garage.Behind me, Mason took out his phone and made a call.His voice was low, but I still heard every word."Sal, that kid can't stay. He was two seconds faster than me in qualifying."Yeah. Same old way. Keep it clean."If he refuses to know his place, then let him stay on the track forever, just like his father." Mason's voice on the phone was vicious.Two hours before the race.The tension of the final had already filled the entire circuit.Avoiding everyone's eyes, I circle

Chapter 4

The engines roared.The green light came on.I released the brake and buried the throttle.The car shot off the starting line like a beast released from a cage.The moment I launched, I knew.This car's brakes wouldn't hold past lap seven.At the first corner after the start, Mason showed exactly how dirty he was willing to race.Using the inside line, he deliberately braked late and forced my car toward the runoff area at the edge of the track.The tires rode over the curb with a harsh screech.I clenched the steering wheel and forced the nose back in."Jake Carter! Are you blind? Open the line! Don't block Mason!" Wade roared through the radio.I ignored him and got back on the throttle.The first six laps were a suffocating fight under pressure.Mason's car did have better team resources. On the straights, he could always pull ahead.Every time I tried to overtake in the corners, he changed lines dangerously, blocking me with obvious intent.Twice, our doors even brus

Chapter 5

I yanked the wheel hard to the right.At extreme speed, the car instantly lost balance. The rear let out a shrill scream, and the whole body snapped sideways.I didn't brake, because there were no brakes.I slammed the right side of the car directly against the metal guardrail at the edge of the track.Bang!The impact thundered through the entire circuit.The sound of metal twisting and tearing filled the air.The side of the car scraped violently against the rail, sparks pouring out like a waterfall and dragging a trail more than ten meters long.The massive reaction force crushed me into the seat. It felt as if my organs were about to be shaken apart.But I clenched my teeth and held the wheel steady with both hands like iron.Using friction from the guardrail, I forced the car's speed down.200 kilometers an hour.150.100.At the exact moment I reached the apex, I countersteered hard and floored the throttle again.With its side torn open, the car whipped through th

Chapter 6

But I didn't play by normal rules.When he covered the inside, I took the outside and forced my way around.When he cut to the outside, I squeezed right alongside his door.The two cars touched again and again through the high-speed corners, sparks flying.Mason's nerve finally collapsed."Madman! You're a fucking madman! Get away from me!" he screamed hysterically over the public channel.I watched his car snake across the track in panic.I reached out and pressed the radio button on the steering wheel.My voice was cold, cutting through the static."Mason Vale, do you see a ghost in your mirror?" I said coldly into the radio.Those words pierced straight through Mason's last line of composure.His car hesitated for an obvious instant on the straight.Now.I smashed the throttle down. The car tore through the air and pulled alongside him.Ahead was a chain of fast S-curves.Seeing that I was about to pass, a vicious look flashed through Mason's eyes.He jerked his stee

Chapter 7

Images flashed through my mind again and again.My father sitting in his wheelchair, staring blankly out the window.The unwillingness in his eyes before he died.Mason Vale's arrogant, untouchable face.Twenty-eight years.Dad, did you see this?I didn't slow down. Covered in wounds, driving that ruined car, I rushed toward the finish line like a burning meteor.The black-and-white checkered flag waved in the air.Across the line.Time froze.I'd not only won the championship—I'd broken the circuit's five-year fastest lap record.The moment I crossed the finish line, I kicked open the jammed door with all my strength.The car rolled slowly to a stop in the runoff area.I sat in the cockpit and slammed both fists against the steering wheel.Tears mixed with sweat and fell without warning.I won.I won for my father.The entire crowd rose to their feet. Applause thundered and didn't stop.Everyone was cheering for the young driver who'd completed a desperate comeback i

Chapter 8

I kicked Wade in the knee. He screamed and dropped to the floor.I continued facing the camera, my voice ice cold."This isn't the first time something like this has happened."Twenty-eight years ago. Same track. Same method."My father, Daniel Carter, had his spine broken and was left permanently paralyzed by the same man, using the same method."I pointed straight at Mason."That man is him. Mason Vale."Mason shuddered all over and screeched like a scalded cat."You're slandering me! Do you have evidence? This is defamation!" Mason roared, pointing at my nose."Evidence?" I sneered.From the inner pocket of my racing suit, I pulled out a stack of documents I'd prepared long ago and threw them hard into Mason's face.The papers scattered across the floor."This is the official race inspection report issued ten minutes ago. It clearly states there were signs of deliberate damage to the brake line, and that the brake fluid contained a large amount of alcohol."And this."

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