Clear Lane

Smooth timber stretched out past the carpet edge. Pure runway. I didn't wait. Dropped flat off the rug border, tires hitting the polished wood with a sharp snap. Instant speed. A stray metal spoon lay curved right in my trajectory like a ramp. Gunned it straight on. Front wheels hit the steel bowl, launching me sideways into a crisp skid across the grain. Wheels squeaked, friction biting into the wax. Stopped dead against the doorframe, engine ticking warm. Clean drift.