Speed

word count: 300

    I lay on the sled, Cami laid on me, her arms around my neck.

    “Are you sure this isn’t too high, Dad?”

    “Nah, you want to go faster than the boys don’t you?”

    “Yeah, Daddy.”

    My wife spotted us from the bottom of the hill.  I may have heard her yell something like “Stop,” or "No, John NO.”  I pushed off.  Cami started to shriek.  I couldn’t breathe.  It’s surprising how much strength a skinny seven year old girl possesses.  We were fast, I was whooping and laughing as we coasted up the logging road to a stop.  Cami was taking little gulps of air.  Her mother came running up, snatched her off me.  Holding her tight, she shot icy glares, my way?

    “What in the world were you thinking?  What if you’d crashed?  It’s fine you don’t have a living brain cell to damage, but what about Cami?”  She was talking kind of loud, all the boys and dads that had been heading our way suddenly found somewhere else to go.  “You know how you are about fast; we are adding sleds to the list.  Along with fast cars, and all motorcycles you will not be getting on anymore sleds.”

    “Yeah, but…” I tried to Interject.

    “No buts! Brendan!”  Our son warily approached.  “Take that sled away from your father and do not give it to him under any circumstances.  Is that clear young man?”

    “Yes, Mom,” he took the sled and fled.

    I think some of the mom’s were cheering, from a distance.

    I later learned that as the sled flew by everyone, my daughter’s eyes occupied most of her face.  I also learned that the park ranger said that was the farthest on the logging road he had ever seen anyone coast.  Man, were we going fast.

word count: 300