[Santo - The Beach]

[walk_ins]

[master post]

You have to walk down a ramp to get to the sand. The ramp stretches over sand dunes, with sea oats dotting them, blowing in the near-constant breeze. On the same level as the ramp: a boardwalk, dotted with places to get sketchy-looking fried food, to try your luck at a number of games of chance, to watch performers, to ride roller coasters of the future!!!!

When you walk down the ramp, it's all white sand and blue water. Down about half a mile is a pier that juts out several hundred feet.

It's a nice beach. Not too crowded.

Comments

[simon_doctor]

Simon hangs back to try out the sensitivity of the controls, clear of the other cars. Side to side, speed up, slow down.

All right then.

There's another car coming up behind him; he swerves at the last second to let the other zip past him, then accelerates.

He's got one eye on Mal's car.

[badinlatin]

Mal takes a risk and looks backward, seeing Simon start to gain.

Good. Competition is good for him. Man needs a game or three.

"[Too slow, Doctor Man!]"

[simon_doctor]

The car's controls are more responsive than he would have guessed from its clunky exterior. He's getting the hang of this. Basic hand-eye coordination.

The track's circular, and they've pulled rather far ahead of the rest of the pack, so if their lead keeps increasing ...

A tight little smile touches the corner of Simon's mouth, and he pulls in behind Mal.

[badinlatin]

Mal starts in a zigzag pattern, now -- a lilting thing and a little reckless, speeding through turns almost too fast --

[simon_doctor]

Simon starts to weave right and left in an inverse mimicry of Mal's pattern, crossing his path behind him, taking the inside of the track on the turns.

Very shortly now.

[badinlatin]

The others are moving way too slow for Mal's taste, and Mal's moving too fast for the operator's.

"Don't make me jack down your controls!" the operators screams, but Mal makes no motion to slow down until he's in the thick of the five others who are consistently trying to crash into each other without any sort of chase.

[simon_doctor]

At which point Simon, aiming very carefully and bracing himself, kicks up the speed and swerves --

-- and hits Mal's car amidships.

[badinlatin]

"What the hell -- !"

Even with his exclamation, he's laughing. Good boy.

[simon_doctor]

And Simon, god help him, is grinning as he accelerates through a gap in the cars and away.

[badinlatin]

"Come on moooove," Mal's shouting at the people in front of him, and with a little love tap to one (who careens into two others), Mal's off and away.

"TOO BAD I DON'T HAVE A CAPTURE!" Mal shouts to Simon.

[simon_doctor]

Simon slows his own car, enough to let Mal get a little closer, and cups one hand to his ear illustratively. I didn't hear you, beg pardon?

[badinlatin]

Mal's one hand is also illustrative.

Well.

His finger, anyhow.

[simon_doctor]

His hand's off the controls.

Simon's car jinks sideways and pulls back sharply until it's behind Mal's again, and then picks up speed.

[badinlatin]

Right behind Mal, huh?

Mal stops dead, and braces for impact.

[simon_doctor]

Which means the impact comes sooner than Simon expects it to, and it's a little harder to tell who's hit whom.

[badinlatin]

The problem with these carnival rides is that if you ride them just a little too hard, they're very difficult to kick back into gear.

Meaning, of course, Mal seems to only be able to turn right.

"[Piece of shit!]"

[simon_doctor]

It's difficult to shout in a deadpan tone, but Simon manages it.

"Would it help if you got out and pushed?"

[badinlatin]

"Don't start with me, Doc!"

Finally, there's regained driving controls, and Mal starts trying to catch up to Simon.

It's difficult, but he might get there.

[simon_doctor]

Might is probably the operative word, as Simon's accelerating away cheerfully.

[badinlatin]

Sadly, all fun must come to an end, eventually.

Yellow fluorescent lights come on in the track -- one minute left.

No ruttin' way.

Mal accelerates, gearing up for one last side-swiping run.

[simon_doctor]

Simon slows abruptly to drop back beside Mal, and then resumes speed until the two cars are running neck and neck.

A small swerve in Mal's direction, not close enough to hit him; a feint.

[badinlatin]

The near-swerve to avoid Simon's move leads Mal in a wide angle, eventually spinning enough to t-bone Simon's car.

Loudly, and to the dismay of the other drivers, right in the middle of the track.

"Ha!"

[simon_doctor]

Simon grins tightly, and his car pulls away --

-- then reverses and slams rear first into the front of Mal's car.

[badinlatin]

Whoosh and at the same time as Simon's and Mal's cars impacted, the cars power down and if it weren't for the grace of Mal actually wearing a seatbelt, Mal would've been thrown clean out of the vehicle.

"Alright folks, we're done for the night," the operator calls.

Groans resound, but Mal's laughing too hard to hear them.

[simon_doctor]

As Simon gets out of his car, it may be seen that he's laughing too.

In a dignified and restrained manner.