"Wild Wolf Run" by Jess Kachine Hickman

"Yee-haw!" Todd ran his dirt bike over the roughest part of the trail. He stepped on the break and slid to a halt. His bike promptly stalled. "Aw man!"

"One of you had to go. Luckily it was the bike," Kya, Todd’s closest friend, commented. She had stopped her older trail bike next to her friend’s. She waited while Todd started his beaten, rusted bike.

"One of these days you are going to be sorry that you fooled around!" Kya yelled over the noise.

"Yeah right!" Todd snorted to himself. He looked over at Kya. Concern showed in her deep blue eyes. Todd’s held only reckless abandon. Todd put his bike in gear and headed off down the forest grail. Kya shook her head as she followed.

Todd tore out onto the dirt road. He pulled on the gas and went as fast as he possibly could with out flooding the carburetor and stalling. He turned sharply and skidded into a driveway. He stepped on the breaks again. The bike sputtered and died. Kya wasn’t too far behind.

"Son of a…" Todd muttered. He couldn’t get his bike to start again.

"You’ve done it now!" Kya laughed. She took off her helmet and walked over to Todd’s bike. Kya laid one hand on the engine. She quickly pulled it back.

"You okay?" Todd asked when he saw Kya shaking her hand.

"Yeah, but your bike isn’t. It over heated."

"Perfect! How am I going to get home now?" Todd asked in fury.

"I’ll take you. The truck’s here. We’ll take your toy too," Kya joked. They often referred to each other’s bikes as their toys.

"Sounds good," Todd sighed. He waited while Kya brought the truck around. She pulled her father’s loading ramp out of the back.

"Stand aside mortal!" Todd said, trying to sound tough. He struggled to push the bike up the steep incline. Kya stood back and shook her head. Todd eventually managed to get his bike onto the truck bed.

"One of these days you’re going to find out that you’re not immortal," Kya pointed out. Todd only shrugged. The pair climbed into the truck and headed for Todd’s home after securing the bike in the back.

"Do you think I could borrow your dad’s bike this weekend?" Todd asked suddenly.

"Why?"

"I’m going to need a better bike to do the Wild Wolf Run," Todd explained. Kya looked at him quickly.

"Are you crazy?! The Wild Wolf Run?! Do you realize how many people end up hurt or dead from that run?" Kya fumed. She swallowed hard out of fear. "I don’t want your name added to the list."

"I know. I know. The Wild Wolf Run is the hardest trail to ride. At least one person is killed every year trying to win the race." Todd sighed. He stared out the window.

"Please don’t do it," Kya said quietly. Todd was surprised at the tone of her voice. She was really worried this time.

Todd sat back. He thought hard. The Wild Wolf Run was dangerous because of the steep cliffs along the side of the trail. The trail itself was narrow with steep hills and deep mud holes. There were hundreds of moose in the forested patches of the race course, and the competition was extremely fierce. Todd sighed loudly. He knew he wasn’t immortal but the didn’t’ want to look like a sissy by backing down. But what if he did get hurt or die? Fear rose in Todd’s heart. Not fear for his life, but fear of loosing Kya forever.

"I won’t do it," he finally said. Kya breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks. I don’t know what I would do without you. Who would I go riding with? And who would my first date be with?" Kya asked. Todd looked at Kya in mild shock. She smiled shyly.

"I guess I can see where you’re coming from," Todd said with a nod. "So, are ya free Saturday night? I am now."

"That I am," Kya sighed happily. "That I am."