"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the day we've all been waiting for has arrived! And I know exactly who everyone is anticipating to see in action…" The announcer's voice echoed across the arena as Patricia waited at the entrance with Liberty.
"Don't worry, boy… we've got this," she whispered, caressing Liberty's mane to calm him down.
Just then, she flinched—sensing a presence beside her.
She turned and saw a rider atop a massive brown stallion, clad in a black-and-gold derby racing outfit, his face hidden behind a bulldog mask.
His presence reeked of trouble—suffocating, domineering. Patricia knew instantly he was not someone to be trifled with. Even Liberty shifted and snorted nervously, unsettled by the dangerous aura radiating from the newcomer.
The Bulldog turned toward her as she stroked Liberty's mane.
"A little stone covered in dirt, thinking it's a diamond in the rough… what a pitiful eyesore," he mocked, his voice deep and menacing.
Patricia tightened her grip on the reins, fury flashing in her eyes.
"Tsk… don't worry. You'll soon learn your place. Don't say you weren't warned," he continued.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the frontier—our reigning Second World Champion Derby Racer… the Bulldog!" the announcer declared.
A deafening roar filled the arena as the Bulldog entered and took his position.
Patricia watched the Bulldog's retreating figure, then shook her head and focused on calming Liberty.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment has arrived! The sensation of the derby who has rocked the world since the start of this season—the competitor the entire globe is watching in anticipation of her extraordinary performance. Please welcome the one and only… Ms. Patricia Milton!" The announcer's voice thundered across the arena.
The stadium shook with shouts and roars as Patricia drew a deep breath and entered the open space.
The cheers grew louder as she guided Liberty into the field, people waving banners and calling her name.
She turned to the crowd, smiling as she spotted Alisha and Zach jumping excitedly, waving a banner with her name. Just behind them, Nicole who was in a disguise—was also cheering. At the far corner, she saw Isaac and Davis watching intently, their smiles radiating encouragement. Lifting her gaze higher, she caught sight of Congressman Saccoth seated beside Governor Otega of Rosa, Mr. Oliver Osborne, and Governor Wilby. Saccoth noticed her glance and nodded with a smile.
Patricia inhaled deeply, steadying herself as she stroked Liberty's mane. "Don't worry, boy. We've got this. We can do it."
Liberty grunted softly in agreement.
"Racers, on your marks!"
Patricia tightened her grip on the reins.
"Three…" She drew in a deep breath.
"Two…" Her eyes locked on the track ahead.
"One…" Her heart pounded with adrenaline.
"Bang!" The gunshot fired, and the gates burst open.
"And they're off! With the Bulldog already taking the lead! Remember, this is a marathon race—five laps around the long track! The racers must test both their endurance and their horses' stamina. Will they make it without tiring, collapsing, or risking injury? Let's watch and find out!" the announcer boomed.
"Easy, Liberty… we've got this," Patricia whispered, urging her horse forward with steady control.
"Ms. Milton is racing at a moderate speed—excellent for momentum building. And she's already passed two riders!"
Patricia pressed forward, closing in on a third rider when chaos erupted. The racer ahead deliberately spurred his horse, kicking up a cloud of dust that blinded the competitor beside him, forcing them to swerve dangerously.
Patricia reacted instantly, pulling the reins to halt Liberty just in time to avoid a collision. With sharp precision, she maneuvered to the right, finding open space.
She seized the opportunity, pushing forward and overtaking both riders in one swift move.
"Wow! What an incredible maneuver! Ms. Milton continues to surprise us! With three laps left, she's setting herself up for the victory lap! Go, go, go!"
"Hyaah! We've got this, Liberty!" Patricia shouted, urging her horse onward.
She noticed another rider slowing down, clearly preparing a trick to block her from passing.
Patricia smirked, urging Liberty to increase speed until they were racing side by side—just as he wanted.
The rider began swerving his horse toward hers, trying to box her in against the edge of the track before the curve ahead.
But Patricia had already read his move. She let him edge closer, then—just as they approached the curve—she yanked Liberty's reins sharply, bringing him to a sudden halt before maneuvering to the open space on the other side.
The rival rider was caught off guard, losing control and nearly toppling into the fence. He managed to recover, but the delay allowed several other racers to sweep past, leaving him behind.
"Amazing! Ms. Milton has wowed us again with that daring stunt! Now, with only two laps left, she's right behind the Bulldog and aiming for the win! Go, go, go!" the announcer roared.
"Hyaah! Liberty! We've got this, boy!" Patricia shouted, urging her horse forward.
She smiled as she realized they were closing in on the Bulldog.
"We can do this, boy! Hyaah!" Patricia shouted.
She was closing in when Liberty suddenly reared, neighing and lifting his front legs. Patricia was caught off guard, losing her grip on the reins and tumbling to the ground.
"Aaah!" she cried as she hit the dirt.
"Haaa!" Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Patricia's head spun as she watched Liberty thrash wildly, neighing and stomping as if possessed.
"Ms. Milton is down! Ms. Milton is down! And her horse is out of control!" the announcer's voice rang faintly in her ears.
"Liberty… no…" she murmured in a haze.
Seeing the other riders charging toward them, Patricia quickly rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding being trampled.
As soon as they passed, she scrambled to her feet and tried to grab Liberty's reins, desperate to calm him. But the horse kept his distance, eyes wild.
"Liberty, stop! Calm down, boy! Calm down!" she pleaded, but to no avail. The stallion lunged at her, his frenzy unrelenting.
The crowd panicked, fearing the horse might attack Patricia. Instead, Liberty shoved her aside—not roughly—before bolting wildly. He leapt the fence, toppled over the other side, and rolled down the steep hill.
The track had been built near a hillside, fenced to prevent accidents. But Patricia could only watch in horror as her beloved horse tumbled down, crashing against the rocks below, his beautiful body pierced and broken.
"Liberty!!! Noooo! Noooo!" she screamed, scrambling toward the edge.
BOOM!
The horse exploded.
Patricia could only watch in horror as the flames devoured her precious horse. She felt like her breath was knocked out of her lungs. She found it difficult to breathe as she watched the red flames below devour her precious horse.
The sound of shouts faded into the background. The explosion was muffled by the noise, and the crowd only saw smoke—thinking it was dust from the fall.
Patricia turned her head and realized the race was still ongoing. According to the rules, the competition must continue even if a horse is injured or a rider drops out. She could only continue if another marathon-trained horse was ready, but Liberty had been her only one. And even if another were found, it was already too late—the race had just one and a half laps left, leaving her barely any time to catch up.
"This is really bad for Ms. Milton! She was already promising to be a champion, but what terrible luck she's encountered—her horse going berserk and crashing down the hill! This leaves her with no chance of continuing the race. Pure misfortune, and everyone had such high hopes for her. She'd better get off the track for medical attention before the racers return for the final lap!" the announcer's voice echoed across the arena.
Patricia felt dejected and lost. She had failed. She failed. Liberty was gone. And she had nothing left to do.
She stumbled onto the track, tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry, Dad. I failed. I failed you. They got to me… and now I don't know what to do," she cried, burying her face in her hands as she wobbled forward.
"The race is nearing its final lap! Ms. Milton has already been taken down—better luck next time for her. But wait! What's this?" the announcer exclaimed.
A loud neigh echoed across the track.
Patricia turned toward the sound, her tear-stained eyes widening in shock at the sight before her.
Racing toward her like the wind, hooves pounding the ground like war drums, its black coat gleaming under the sun, dust swirling around it like fog, and its grunts echoing like a majestic warrior horse charging into battle. On its forehead, a lightning-bolt marking glowed brilliantly—like lightning itself.
"I… I don't believe it…" Patricia whispered.
It was Lightningbolt, thundering toward her at full gallop.
"I don't believe this…" she murmured again, a smile breaking across her lips.
The horse raced towards her but looked like it didn't have any intention to stop. And Patricia saw it.
She wiped her tears and sprinted forward onto the track.
As Lightningbolt pulled up beside her, she seized the reins with skillful precision. With an acrobatic leap, she swung herself into the air and mounted the horse in one fluid motion.
All the while the crowd watched in stunned silence, mouths agape. Even the announcer was struck speechless for a moment.
Until—
"YEAH!!!"
A deafening roar erupted from the stands.
"This is incredible! Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. Milton is back in the race—by a miracle! A spirit horse has risen from the dead to save the day! I can't believe my eyes—it's her father's legendary steed, Lightningbolt, saving his daughter for the race! Ladies and gentlemen, are you seeing this? This is unbelievable!" The announcer's voice boomed across the arena.
The screens zoomed in on Patricia and Lightningbolt as they thundered across the track, racing like the wind to catch up with the others.
"Actually, Stan," another announcer chimed in, "I'm told this is Lightningbolt Junior—the offspring of the legendary stallion. And it seems he's proving to be just like his father. Patricia has already caught up to the other racers, and now they're entering the victory lap! This is incredible!"
"Yes indeed, Banie! And everyone is already chanting her name for the win!" Stan replied.
"Patricia! Patricia! Patricia! Patricia!"
The entire arena echoed with her name.
Patricia's heart swelled with pride as the chant thundered around her.
"We've got this, Lightningbolt! Let's do this for Liberty!" she shouted. Lightningbolt neighed in agreement as Patricia leaned forward, urging him to greater speed.
They weaved through the exhausted racers like bullets. Soon, they were right behind the Bulldog and his stallion.
They were nearing the finish line, still just behind.
"The finish line is in sight! The Bulldog is in the lead and about to win! Will Patricia and Lightningbolt make it and claim victory? Everyone is on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what happens!" Stan's voice thundered across the arena.
Patricia locked her eyes on the Bulldog and his stallion. Anger boiled inside her as memories of Liberty's frenzy, his fall, and his fiery death clouded her mind. He will pay. He has to pay.
She leaned forward, pressing her weight into Lightningbolt. "We can do this, boy! We can do this—for Liberty!"
They surged ahead, closing the gap until they were racing side by side with the Bulldog, the finish line just meters away.
Di… Di… Di…
The sound of a heartbeat echoed in slow motion as the entire arena held its breath.
Neigh!!!
Lightningbolt cried out, his hooves slicing through the ribbon at the finish line—passing the Bulldog by a nose.
For a moment, there was deafening silence.
Then—
"YEAH!!!!"
The crowd roared so loudly the earth seemed to shake, and confetti burst into the air.
"She won!!! Patricia Milton has won!!! By a nose she claimed victory! She is now the new Second World Champion Derby Racer!"
The arena erupted in cheers.
Patricia looked up at the massive screen, her face displayed beside the word Winner.
"I did it… I won! I did it!" she whispered, before lifting her gaze to the sky. "Thank you, Dad."
Tears streamed down her cheeks. As she took in the sight of the joyous waves of the crowd and arena filled with confetti. She smiled, her heart swelling with happiness and also grief. Suddenly, a sharp pain pulsed through her head. Her body weakened, and she felt herself tumbling—until strong arms caught her.
Through the haze, she glimpsed two piercing sapphire-blue eyes beneath a low-brimmed cap and mask, staring at her with worry as cameras flashed all around.
"Patricia!! Patricia…"
She faintly heard Alisha and Zach calling her name through the chaos, before the sound faded and darkness swallowed her consciousness.