Author's Note
For a better reading enjoyment, visit the blog, Information Minute 3.
First Stage
The wind ruffles the pony's mane while the red-hot sun burns the green landscape and the few trees she passes.
"Hang on honey, it won't be long" says the pony while watching the temperature indicator which is already moving almost in the red area.
She rushes along the road where there is no one far and wide, not a single house or rest stop where she could stop and replenish supplies, as she has been on the road for a week from the last town and she finished her last meal, well... we'd rather not talk about food or other supplies.
After a few more hours, when the air starts to be breathable and does not dry out the lungs, because the sun has been on its downward path for a long time and does not burn with such force.
The pony takes a deep breath of the pleasant cooling air and nearly chokes on an uncontrollable cough when she spots a building on the horizon.
After exiting with the sound of a door slamming, she walks past a large old tank to a small house with a garage.
"Hello, is anyone here? She calls around the room filled only with half-empty shelves.
"I'll be with you in a minute! Someone calls from the back room.
Happy that it works here, immediately the pony runs through the shelves looking for anything to eat.
"I wouldn't eat that" An older pony in overalls stops her and points to the expiration date.
With a shrug of her shoulders, she shoves into herself several chocolate bars with a banana that are almost as old as herself.
"How long have you not eaten young one?
"I ran out of supplies three days ago, because there's nothing along the way, so I had nowhere to get some food" She tries to speak with her mouth full and another bar ready in her hoof.
"That must have been awful" He continues the conversation as he walks away.
After the sad realization that she can't see any more food, she gets up and examines what else is in the small shop.
"By the way, I'm Smoky" He introduces himself as he places the smoking bowl on the counter at the cash register.
"I'm Cinnamon, nice to meet you" She tries to keep calm looking at the bowl of soup.
"You don't have to drool on my floor to convince me to give it to you, this is for you" He smiles as Cinnamon wipes the drool from her mouth in shame and pounces on the bowl like a hungry dog.
"Where are you going?" Smoky asks as he mops the floor.
"To Unguland"
"You still have a long way to go" Smouky takes the empty bowl while Cinnamon sits down on the offered stool next to the counter.
"The journey doesn't bother me as much as if I'll be desperately looking for a place to eat again"
"Further on, it shouldn't be so bad, you've just passed the most desolate part, about 500 km is the city " Smouky sits down next to her and relaxes with a pipe in his mouth.
"I'm glad to hear that, how is it possible that it's so deserted here?
"The main road was diverted from here due to the high number of breakdowns and accidents, since then this road has been going downhill and everyone except me has gone elsewhere, this road remembers a lot and there used to be a shopping mall and many others lining the road" He narrates dreamily, while blowing cherry smoke.
"Why did you stay here?
"There's nothing waiting for me anywhere, I don't have time to start over elsewhere, besides, this station has been in our family for generations and I've spent my whole life there and I'll live it out here too"
"Don't you have a family or a house to go to?
"I have a house, but it's been empty for years, I don't even go there anymore, I moved here and I live here peacefully"
"That Sounds Lonely"
"Everyone gets used to that over time, I like solitude"
After moment she starts going through the shelves and carrying things that can be useful on the counter, but even though she has collected almost everything, she will have to stop somewhere else tomorrow at the latest and get food.
While Smoky is counting the purchase, Cinnamon goes to her car where she starts cleaning and throwing away the piles of trash she has accumulated during her time without a single rest stop.
As soon as she rearranges everything and cleans both the trunk and the interior, she sticks the badly worn nozzle into the fuel filler neck and lets it fill the tank, while she takes all the waste to the trash.
"I need water, but I don't see it anywhere"
"How much do you need?
"I have two 20L canisters, won't that be a problem?
"Of course not, give them to me and I'll be right back" He lets out a last puff of smoke and takes the canisters with him.
As soon as she checks that everything under the hood is replenished, she starts loading things into the trunk, which she generously pays despite protests, but she owes him her life and didn't want to be ungrateful.
As they both say goodbye, she sits back in the vehicle, the door slams with a muffled metallic sound, and after turning the key, the engine comes to life, with a deep gurgle and leaves the old gas station waving to Smouky, who is standing in front of the house.
The sun slowly descends above the ground, it starts to burn her face, but thanks to the black glasses she can at least see the road, it is interesting how aggressive the sun is in this area, as if along this road it shone more than anywhere else.
"Now I don't have to think about it anymore, I'll leave this road in a moment and it won't bother me anymore" She says out loud while leaning her head out the window and enjoying the cool air that is after thousands of kilometers in crazy heat very pleasant.
CCRRRRRRR!!!!!
“Shut up! Curses a sleepy Cinnamon because she can't find the alarm clock and take it out.
while stretching in front of the car, Cinnamon watches as the sun rises again, creating long shadows all around her in complete silence without a single obstacle blocking the view of the wide plains where it's just her and the black painted car.
The long road that leads far into the green wasteland without life is behind her and with a smile she turns in the direction of her journey where she sees a tall wind farm that she didn't see because of yesterday's darkness, it must mean that she is approaching a city and civilization.
She wipes the dew from the windows and mirrors, gets into the car, has breakfast and drives off towards the tower.
Stunned, she watches the approaching horizon, hoping that beyond it will be something more than just a wasteland, only to lean back in her seat in disappointment when she sees the same thing as the last 3000km.
As Cinnamon crosses another plain where there is nothing in sight, she looks around and hopes that she will at least see something somewhere.
SSKKRRRRRRRT!!!!!!!
Cinnamon slams on the brake with both hooves when she realizes she's passed the sign, shifts into reverse and goes back to what she missed.
It was only with an effort that she didn't get out of the car and start bouncing in the middle of the road like a crazy pony while looking at the sign.
COLTWILL 50km
"Yahoooooo" She calls as she rushes down the road.
But her joy was interrupted by a car that appeared in the rear mirror, there was no one behind her in the distance, so how is it possible that someone is approaching her and driving like a madpony.
"He's a total jerk!!!! Cinnamon screams in rage as the car that was speeding up close behind her brakes causing white smoke to form around them.
Cinnamon hates being stuck on her ass, now one would-be racer is almost licking her bumper.
The only way to get rid of him is to slow down, so Cinnamon lets her hoof off the gas and hopes that the racer will pass her, but the driver of the car seems to want to race even though she don't.
DUM.. DID HE SERIOUSLY BUMP INTO ME?!! Cinnamon fumes with rage.
"Are you fucking kidding me?! DUM…
"I will not race! She grinds her teeth after another impact.. THUMB...
“That's enough!!! Another impact makes her fur stand on end.
"Come on honey, show what's in you, but be careful" She presses the gas pedal lightly, while the purring of the engine turns into a hum, the car starts to accelerate while the racer is still clinging to her.
As soon as they cross the next horizon already at 150 km/h with the Racer still caught on the back, they reach a long right-hand bend that leads past an abandoned barn.
With a smile, she rushes into the corner when the car behind her begins to brake quickly, but she only eases her hoof on the gas, clinging to the edge of the right part of the road as the tires screeching as they struggle to maintain grip, while the whole car leans to the left.
As soon as the rear wheels begin to slip and the car starts to oversteer, Cinnamon steps on the gas while turning the steering wheel slightly against the direction of the turn with the engine roaring and a white cloud trailing behind the car.
She guides the car in a controlled drift through a corner that turns a little further in front of her into an almost right angle.
Cinnamon laughs, her smile widening at the challenge before her and shifts the shifter into second gear.
The car starts to toss and bounce on the road like crazy, when Cinnamon lets her hoof off the gas to slow down enough, it's very risky with the possibility of a roll over, but if she doesn't slow down quickly she will fly off the road and crash into a deep canal along the road.
With a quick step on the gas, she regains control of the car, she approaching a sharp right-angle turn, but she's still going too fast to make it through.
In a second, there is a sharp bend in front of her, cinnamon presses the brake with her left hoof and the gas pedal with her right to the ground, the front wheels immediately start to squeal, and to the sound of the deafening roar of the engine, the car begins to overturn quickly thanks to the rear wheels still drifting.
As soon as the car turns almost perpendicular to the exit of the turn, she releases the brake and takes off half the gas, while she turns the steering wheel to the left and control the direction of travel, which, despite all her efforts, leads off the road.
Just like that, she drives through the bend with the rear left wheel on the grass in the opposite direction, just around the canal, but immediately returns to her lane already in the straight direction of travel.
"There you go you little bitch!! Cinnamon laughing at how overpowered him before she notices the engine temperature gauge which would turn over if it could.
"Fuck! She immediately slows down and hastily pulls on the string dangling on the dashboard, which opens the hood a hoof-width apart.
"Sorry, sorry, it'll be fine, you'll make it, please hold on" Cinnamon caresses the steering wheel as she drives and with the fear of disaster in her eyes, she watches how the temperature is still held high in the red field.
A stone fall from her when after a few minutes of driving the engine temperature indicator returns to normal, which is currently still very high above the norm, but it has been normal for a long time.
She pulls over to the side of the road just to slam the hood and continues on toward Coltwill.
With the sound of the exhaust bubbling around and the mane blowing in the car because of the open window, she can see the houses in front of her along which the narrow road runs in an empty environment.
The joy of the city left her the moment she drove past the old weathered sign on a pole that leans to the side that says.
WELCOME TO COLTWILL
At the moment she is rather depressed, she is slowly driving through a road crossing a town in which there are ten houses and most of them are either abandoned or on the verge of falling down, there is not a single tree or old monument anywhere, all that is here is just dusty concrete and asphalt.
"That's SERIOUSLY cool, Smouky probably hasn't been here for a long time" She angrily looks around the abandoned city.
She parks next to a small shop, opens the hood and checks the condition, the coolant container is empty again.
With a nod that she expected it, she takes out a canister of water from the trunk, with which she fills the container, and when she returns to the trunk, she examines the rear wheel, which has almost no tread left.
"I'm so stupid, I let myself be provoked by some moron and I forgot that in a moment I won't have anything to drive on" She caresses and examines the tire, from which a steel belt peeks out in one place.
After checking both rear wheels, she moves to the back of the car which is without a scratch, thinks about it for a moment and then hits herself in the forehead.
"Oh yeah, I should think more about what's going on" She closes the trunk, on which there is an external spare wheel carrier, which covers the whole wheel with a metal cover, it is a little battered from impacts.
"A few dents where the paint is peeling off, it's easy to fix, it's strange how the red sun darkens my mind, as if..." She stops when she realizes that the sun is yellow.
She stares at the sun in disbelief, only to make sure five times that it is really yellow and not red like the last 3500km, she looks around the empty and dirty surroundings before her gaze stops at the old shop where she parked.
A small block-shaped house with a tiny five-car parking lot with grass growing through it, it looks like the best-preserved building in town.
She comes over and looks through the dirty windows to see what's inside, but unfortunately, even after wiping the dirt, it's impossible to see inside, she tries the door, but it's locked.
She takes out a wrench from the trunk and goes around the store to see if it has a back entrance, but this is perhaps the only building in the history that doesn't have a back entrance, and she just happened upon it.
She stands back in front of the front door, which is much cleaner than the rest of the building.
She doesn't think about it and looks inside at a completely empty shelf that seems to lead through the entire store.
"It looks empty, but it doesn't know that I won't find something good in the back warehouse" She says to herself out loud while evaluating where it would be best to break the glass.
After the last shard falls to the ground, she carefully crawls through the door and walks along the empty shelf.
"Fortunately, the other shelves are also empty, I was already worried that there might be something here" She angrily kicks the empty box on the floor.
She continues to the cash register, which is open and shows signs that someone was very interested in what was inside.
The back room where they apparently stored supplies is also completely empty.
In a combination of sadness and anger, she walks through the entire house again, finally collapsing back to the cash register where she is leaning against the counter.
"It's not possible, what am I going to do? She sees a few chocolate bars and the last sandwich she has in the car in front of her eyes.
When she calms down, she gets up and goes back to the car, irradiated by the Sun after the darkness in the house, she closes her eyes and doesn't notice the stone in front of her on which she trips and falls with hysterical laughter, raging at the bad luck that has accompanied her for too long, she rolls on the ground in anger.
Desperate, she gets into her car and drives past a few houses that are standing still.
When she arrives at a low-rise house that looks like it's going to collapse at any moment due to a fallen roof and no sign of plaster, she walks past it to a closed garage.
With fear, she takes hold of the peeling White Gate, which creaks open upwards.
She stands in shock, doesn't believe what she sees, bad luck again.
There is nothing in the garage but the car under the sunken roof, with broken windows, mold inside and a layer of rust from the outside that doesn't even show the original paint.
Carefully she crawls through the debris of the ceiling and walls to the back of the car where there might be something, it is the only place where the ceiling is not collapsed.
Bad luck again, there is nothing here, all that remains is to search the trunk.
When Cinnamon first looks at the trunk, it's clear that with her luck she won't be able to open it, after a moment of hesitation she relaxes and presses the car sign that should open the trunk, but it doesn't even move.
"Damn it, I'm tired of pretending to be surprised!!" She furiously repeatedly kicks the winged symbol on the trunk until all the anger is out of her.
"What's wrong with all this bad luck? I really don't like it anymore" She talks to herself while she brings a crowbar to the stuck trunk of the sedan, jams it under the back door of the trunk and leans on it with all her weight.
From the metal groaning creaking and screeching, the door of the trunk opens a little, with the hope that there might be something inside, she jumps up with her front legs and with all her strength falls back on the crowbar, which slams into the green trunk, which opens wide after a loud crack.
She immediately pokes her head in and I examine what's in there, but in the dark well-preserved trunk, there is not a speck.
The empty trunk makes Cinnamon feel like breaking something, so she kicks the side of the car with such force that the car sways.
Behind the creak of the car's corroded chassis, another sound is heard, as if there was a canister of water in the trunk, But she doesn't see one.
There could be a jerrycan on the back seats, but because of the sunken roof, on which there is a large stone, back seat is not visible.
As she looks at the back of the car from the side, something feels wrong, she looks in the trunk and then again at the side of the car.
"Oh yeah, you won't fool me you bastard" She rejoices after discovering that the back wall of the trunk is fake.
She enthusiastically takes out a wooden partition on which the same carpet as in the trunk is glued, behind which there is a crate and a tool box, which must be completely full because they are very heavy.
After a moment of panting from the effort of carrying it out through the Debris, she stares excitedly at the open crate, which took her breath away because it's full of spare car parts.
Despite the fact that some things do not fit the car or are unusable due to their age, she still has great joy, which was completed by a tool box full of wrenches, screwdrivers and ratchet nuts.
"Well, at least luck smiled on you" With a smile, she caresses the side of the car with the expired chocolate bar in her mouth.
She takes all the things out and lays them out in front of her so she knows exactly what she found and sorts it into her tool boxes.
She squeals with joy when she finds a three-pronged universal wrench for loosening oil filters, as she managed to lose hers a long time ago.
While the oil from the warm engine pours into the container under the car, as well as the water from the radiator, she prepares the last clean blankets, which she spreads on the back seat and puts a pillow on them.
When she can no longer hear the running water from the radiator, she tightens the drain valve and begins to disassemble the supply hose from the engine to the radiator, around which coolant has been leaking for a long time.
Thanks to the plumbing tape she found in the looted crate, she can finally fix it.
She wraps a few layers over the radiator inlet, which she claws back with a thick black hose, which she pulls down with an iron clamp.
It's already getting dark when oil is poured into the new filter, which is then installed in the car and after tightening the drain bolts, new oil is poured into the engine.
"Enjoy it" She says as she watches the engine oil light turn off.
She turns off the engine and sits down by the fireplace that she lit a moment ago, currently serving as the only source of light, with a view of the sea of stars, which the tongues of flame from which red fireflies fly away, "I evaluate today as a success" She says calmly in the warmth of the fire.
Drops fall from the cloud-filled sky and pound the tin roof, and Little Cinnamon huddles under the blanket in the cold.
Even though the alarm clock rings and she knows she has to wake up, she doesn't want to get out from under the warm blanket.
The ringing of the alarm clock is carried between a few houses after it flew out of the car window.
"I've had enough of this shit!" She exclaims angrily as she sits in the front seat and starts the engine.
With the thought that she might never get used to getting up early, which she absolutely hates, she sits in the front seat under the blanket while she slowly eats the last sandwich she got from Smouky.
Looking at the last chocolate bar she has for lunch, she smirks, she doesn't like the idea of being hungry again.
It was supposed to be a shortcut, but instead it's just fight for survival.
"To hell with this place" She says to herself while the huge drops pound on the hood.
It is true that for a long time she wished for rain and in some moments she would give anything for cool down.
But this is insane, first the crazy heat almost boils the blood in her veins and now it's cold as in a freezer, she doesn't even have the courage to get out of the car and feel the cold on her own skin, when her hoof almost froze just after opening the window.
It didn't take long and warm air is coming from the heater, cinnamon switches the heater to maximum and blows warm air under the blanket in which she is wrapped like a baby and shivering with cold.
With her head resting on the dashboard, she enjoys the wind blowing on her chest where her fur flutters, even though she is well aware that she should have been on her way a long time ago.
After a short argument, she gets behind the wheel and drives out of town, still wrapped in a blanket.
Due to the heavy rain and black clouds that never end, it is very difficult to see and so she has to drive slowly, slower than she can afford.
This route was supposed to be a shortcut, if it had only been made with the necessary stops, it would have saved at least four days of travel.
But because of the insane conditions of this area, which is called the Dead Land, it had exactly the opposite effect.
It's hard to tell if it was because of the heavy rain or because she was deep in thought that she didn't notice someone walking down the road.
Because the car almost has no tread on the tires, does not react as it should, and instead of avoiding a stranger in the middle of the road, the car turns over as if on ice and stops on the side of the road in the grass.
"Fucking bitch! She gets angry behind the wheel, staring into the black darkness without moving.
"Hello, are you alright?" She steps out, calling into the heavy rain.
When no one answers, she runs out to see if anyone is there, while the car lights illuminate the road.
"Thank you," Says the stranger, whom Cinnamon helps to his feet and leads him to the car.
As soon as they are both completely soaked in the car, Cinnamon makes sure that the stranger is not hurt.
"What were you doing in the middle of the road? She asks the stranger, who appears to be unharmed and fully sane.
"I'm sorry, but I wanted to make sure you'd see me and stop me" He replies with a trembling voice.
Cinnamon covers him with a blanket and turns up the heat.
After a short conversation, when the stranger introduces himself as wood, he explains that he is on his way home, but due to the rain, he accidentally went off the road and broke his means of transport, so he has to walk.
She didn't refuse when Wood asked if she would take him home because she still feels bad about almost killing him, even though it was his own fault.
Fortunately, Wood lives in the direction she needed to go.
Moments later they turned off the main road onto a narrow broken road that leads to his house.
After a few minutes of wild slalom due to deep holes in the road that were almost invisible, they reached the wooden fence of a four-meter gate at the height of the fence, but the house was nowhere to be found.
"Thank you very much for the ride, I'll go further" Says Wood as he prepares to step out into the crazy weather.
"You're welcome, have a nice day" Cinnamon waits to be able to leave.
"I couldn't repay you for taking me this far, how about stopping for something to eat?
The thought of hot food on a plate made her mouth salivate, but she knows it's already too late to waste any more time, especially after the thought of getting stuck on the muddy dirt road that leads behind the fence.
She explains her situation as she is pressed for time and immediately turns back to the main road.
With a desperate look at the clock and the kilometers traveled, Cinnamon accelerates even more on the way back, avoiding potholes only reflexively.
As soon as she gets back on the main road, she steps on the gas and speeds up with the rain drumming against the windshield fighting the wipers.
There is no time, so she drives all day with only a few breaks to go to the bathroom.
It's night time again, Cinnamon only knew it when the clouds cleared and the starry sky appeared, making her think of the soft seat in the back, where she'd prefer to lay down and let herself be carried away by the realm of dreams.
She is not sleepy, she is pumped with adrenaline from the fast ride and the fear that she will be late, because the bad weather did not allow her to go fast and thus she is far behind.
more and more trees and bushes pass along the road, as well as a turn and a signpost.
"Looks like we're getting back to civilization" Cinnamon says while stroking the steering wheel.
The pleasant rustling of the air driven by the car, the purring of the engine and the darkness cut through by the lights, this is the life that Cinnamon fell in love with.
Traveling at night is like a dream, everything around is so peaceful and magical.
It's like being in the center of a busy city full of fun, noise and ponies, you put on your headphones and close your eyes, suddenly you're immersed in nothingness while everything around you is still alive, while you're in your own little world.
With a good mood, she rushes through the night with the desire to be at the destination and to have this terrible journey behind her, to finally rest for a while and get a good night's sleep.
Even though she knows that it won't happen anyway, there is a lot that needs to be done and before she finishes it, she will have to go on another journey.
She drives through a small village with a pleasant feeling, passing illuminated houses in which there is life.
More and more villages are passed by a lonely car on the road until after a long time it arrives in a city that shines like a Christmas tree.
Cinnamon would cry with joy if she saw some residents, but the only thing she passes are the lamps that illuminate the road and some buildings.
It's been a few hours since Cinnamon left the city and with an exhausted expression she tries not to fall asleep behind the wheel, if she could, she immediately lies down and sleeps, but if she doesn't want the whole trip to be in vain, she has to hold on for a while longer.
The first rays of sunlight hit her face and illuminated the surroundings, she sped up looking at the clock, she no longer has to worry about crashing into something because of the darkness.
Stomach growling echoes in the car as the clock shows lunch time, Cinnamon has nothing left to eat and so has to drive to the destination, where she eats her fill.
"It's over there! Can you see it too?! She shouts when she sees in the distance the entrance gate with flags where cars are parked.
It doesn't take long before a black dusty sedan pulls into a small town playing music.
Cinnamon walks through an empty square full of stalls, but there's no one there, just music and decorations all around.
She doesn't even have time to look at what is in the stalls for sale and the music is drowned out by the roar of the engine, which is followed by the loud roar of many ponies.
"It's here! You've all been waiting impatiently for it and finally we can officially launch it!! The pony calls out to the cheering crowd.
Cinnamon happy that she's really here, that she didn't miss it and that she won't be alone today.
"Hello, I just arrived, I came to register." Cinnamon walks up to the table in front of all the fun.
"Hello, you arrived quite late" The white pony looks at the clock.
“But you'll write me down, won't you? Cinnamon's blood runs cold.
"You're lucky that many of the participants were very late, so we made an exception this time and the time limit was extended" She smiles at cinnamon, whose legs stop shaking.
"Thank you! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it" Cinnamon leans on the table with relief.
"Name?
"Cinnamon"
"Okay, be ready with your car in two hours" She writes in a large book on the table.
"So soon? But I have so much work to do on the car, I haven't slept since yesterday"
"I'm sorry, I can't make an exception in this case, either you'll be at the starting line when we call you, or you can go home" She recites like a robot.
"Where's the service?!
"Around the corn......" She points with her hoof.
Only the swirling dust remains in front of the table as Cinnamon sprints determinedly in the direction the pony behind the table was pointing.
She runs into the large three-car garage, which is full.
“HEY! Is anyone here?! Cinnamon is calling in the garage.
“Here, what do you need? A head appears under the car.
"I need parts immediately for a vehicle on name Cinnamon, six spare wheels, transmission oil and filter, air filter, air intake hose, upper radiator hose, thermostat, water temperature sensor, coolant, spark plugs, ignition cables" She recites quickly to the Pony lying under the car.
"I'll bring it as soon as I can" He wants to go back under the car, but Cinnamon grabs him.
"IMMEDIATELY!
A black bubbling car pulls up in front of the garage, Cinnamon opens the hood and immediately starts preparing the car for maintenance.
She can't rely on a mechanic who is used to working as he wants, she has to do everything herself, that's why she knows that it's a lot of work and very little time for one pony alone.
"Here you have the tires, I'll go right away for the rest of the things" He leaves the tires on the wheelbarrow in front of the car.
"What is this?! She calls out to the mechanic who immediately turns around.
"Where is the problem?
"These are just tires, and even winter ones, where are my wheels that I ordered?
"This was in the warehouse under your name" As if he didn't care, he turns to leave again.
Cinnamon fumes, this is out of the question, she doesn't deserve this after what she had to go through to get here.
She catches up with the mechanic and angrily goes to the warehouse with him.
"See, there's nothing else here" The slightly frightened mechanic points.
"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!! Look at the other shelves, they're full of wheels, why is mine empty?! She's looking around.
"Because I took your tires out" He says as if Cinnamon is completely stupid.
This is a little too much for her, she tries to stay calm and not shove a tire down his neck as she goes through more racks looking for wheels or tires the same size as hers, but it seems impossible.
Full of desperation, she starts rummaging through the old used tires if she can't find at least something among them.
"Don't say you can't use those tires? The mechanic suggests that she leave it and put the one he brought her.
“Do you know how much I'll be at a disadvantage to the others? Without looking back, she searches through the pile of tires.
"Then drive it with the ones you have on the car, it will last one race"
"Sure!! And don't I have to put ice skates on my hooves like that? Cinnamon is furious.
"That would make you pretty stupid" He laughs "Why would you do that?
"Because when I step on the gas, the car slides like it's on ice, I'm almost driving on wires, dude" She angrily throws the last tire that was left in the trash.
Cinnamon has no choice but to use winter tires, but the other problem is that the tires are not on the wheels, so the old tires have to be taken off and new ones put on, which is time consuming and with all that needs to be done, she can never do it.
Cinnamon oscillates like a bullet, changing one wheel after another, sweaty up to her back, while the mechanic carries the parts she asked him for in the beginning.
An hour passed like water and the wheels are finally replaced, a desperate Cinnamon rushes to the engine and starts disconnecting the air filter which is in such a terrible condition that it would be better to drive without it, but because of the environment in which she was driving she could not afford it.
"I'm missing a few of the things you wanted" The mechanic carries a list of things in the warehouse to a tense Cinnamon.
"What?! WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN??!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!! I checked everything over and over, there's no way something was missing!! Cinnamon's nerves snapped.
"I'm not responsible for what they bring me, it's possible that it's at another station" He tries to defend himself against the raging bristling light brown fur.
"WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?!!
"Racers Journey and Cinnamon get to the starting positions" It's played over the speakers for a moment instead of the music.
The injustice, the despair, the pressure and the bad luck that accompanies her brought tears to her eyes, which were soon lost in the rage that has been growing in her for some time.
"They said in two hours, they can't be serious! She angrily slams the hood and drives away from all the parts that were on the ground with the car.
Cinnamon doesn't even have time to complain or get out of the car, the waving ponies immediately show her where to stop and get ready for the race.
The rumble of the engine is accompanied by a low angry whisper from Cinnamon, who is on edge.
A small round car with a laughing pony pulls up next to a black square sedan.
“What a piece of junk is that? He calls out to Cinnamon, who is nervously watching the temperature gauge slowly rising.
"I understand, you're scared, that's normal, everyone is afraid to compete with me, but don't worry, I'll be good to you and I won't beat you by embarrassing you" His monologue continues.
Cinnamon pulls on the string on the deck and the hood rises all the way around.
"Don't be angry that I'm going to torture you like this, but there's no other option, please hold on" Cinnamon rests her forehead on the steering wheel.
"RACERS GET READY" Calls from the megaphones.
Cinnamon takes one last look at the switch (sport/trave/work) with a shaking hoof, wanting to switch it to (sport)
Her hoof rests on the black low lever, but in the end she leaves it where it is, she wants to win, but this would be too high a price she doesn't want to pay.
She pushes the other lever next to it and puts it in the second gear position.
The blue and white sports car revs the engine to the limiter in neutral to show that it is ready.
Cinnamon repeats it, and both racers look at the pony in the white vest standing in front of the cars ready to wave the red flag.
With the engines and tires roaring, the two cars drive forward, the little sports car in the lead and firmly holding the lead.
Cinnamon holds the pedal only halfway, she knows it's no use trying to catch him on the first straight, so she keeps the same distance behind him.
The white car begins to brake sharply before the approaching corner, but Cinnamon does not brake, she uses it to deprive her opponent of a lead.
The turn is approaching and with both hooves on the brakes and squealing tires, Cinnamon pulls the steering wheel to the left with a quick gas pedal, turns the steering wheel to the right and drifts through the ninety degree turn,
Because of the winter tires, she doesn't have the control over the car that she needs, so she goes through the corner clumsily and slowly, but first, because the second competitor went through the corner much slower.
The temp gauge licks the red field when Cinnamon finally lets the transmission shift into a higher gear, but the engine is still revving too high to handle the cooldown.
The opponent is closing in on the sedan and it's already clear that if she doesn't speed up, Cinnamon will lose and she can't let that happen, she won't give up so close to the finish line.
"I have to do it, I have to! She puts her hoof on the lever to shift (sport)
Cinnamon slows down the world, thoughts swirling in her head, and slowly lets go of the lever, leans firmly into the seat, and with a determined expression, press gas pedals.
The gearbox downshifts with a deafening roar and screeching of the tires, the sedan starts to accelerate and reduces the speed difference of the opponent in overtaking, and now they are driving side by side.
PSSSSSSSCHHHHHHH
White smoke billows from under the hood so nothing can be seen, the vehicle begins to brake hard with screeching tires while the entire car tilts forward.
The car goes out of control after a few donuts, crashes through a fence and ends up in a parking lot full of cars.
