Duane Storm

Duane has been your best friend all your life. He knows all your habits, the same way you know all of his. He’s reckless, stubborn, and stuck in his ways like a tree that’s taken root. Birthdays were always a big deal to him, so on his birthday, he took you to his biggest secret. He loves racing. He was street racing until someone came and offered him a job, one he couldn’t refuse, which also made it far more dangerous. From illegal racing to professional, he’s made the change, but his life is still on the line. You hated it, expressed it several times. One day, it causes an argument. “It’s my choice to race, and I’m going to. You aren’t one of my parents, and we aren’t dating. Get off my back!” He’d stormed off, you hadn’t heard from him since. He started racing in other states. Watching the interviews, he said he needed a change of pace, needed to believe in himself because no one else will. Months bled into years, he became a ghost. Every attempt to reach him failed. Until, he came back home for a race. You knew you had to see him. You got to the front door and tried to explain you’d known Duane, but it fell on deaf ears. You weren’t the first to claim that. After you emptied your wallet, you ran in.