Free Faster Than Lightning by Pam Harvey Page A

unusual about Angus going for a ride on his horse. Usually.
    The big chestnut gelding snorted. ‘It’s okay, King,’ whispered Angus. ‘We’ll show them.’
    Next to him, mounted on an equally large bay gelding, was Jack. Around both of them was a small crowd of people.
    ‘This is it, Gussy.’ Jack grinned at him. Angus wasn’t fooled, though. He could see howJack’s hands were tight on the reins. Jack was nervous.
    ‘I guess it is.’ Angus looked away. I must be crazy, he thought. Why am I racing Jack when he’s on a three-year-old racehorse and I’m on a ten-year-old ex-racehorse? I haven’t got a chance. He ran his fingers along King’s neck, and the horse lifted his head at the boy’s touch. Sometimes you just seem to get yourself into these things.
    Angus moved King up to the starting point as the rain really started coming down. Lightning flashed in the distance and low growls of thunder grumbled across the sky. King shook his head up and down but didn’t really look worried. Jack’s young horse did, though. It skittered sideways, scattering the crowd of onlookers.
    Suddenly, Angus heard a voice at his feet.
    ‘Angus, what are you doing?’
    He looked down. Hannah was standing with her arms crossed. Her hair was wet with the rain and her fringe stuck to her forehead. She’d never looked so angry.
    ‘I’m racing Jack.’
    ‘This is stupid, Angus. It could be dangerous. What if your dad finds out you’ve been racing?’
    ‘How’s he going to find out?’
    ‘Ha!’ said Hannah, pointing with both hands at the crowd. ‘How’s he not going to find out?’
    Angus looked around. If he hadn’t known it was impossible, he’d have thought he was still at the track. Strappers, trainers and racing officials were all gathered to watch the race. News of it had spread like wildfire. Even Sergeant Malroy was there. Angus gulped. But the Sarge just gave him a wave. He’s come to watch too! thought Angus.
    ‘Ready for starting!’ called Pete, a lanky, bearded strapper who seemed to have the job of getting the race under way.
    ‘I’ll catch you afterwards,’ said Angus to Hannah, and he rode King forward, trying not to think of the way Hannah was scowling.
    Jack urged his horse up beside King. He didn’t look at Angus but stared down the park. The circuit they were racing on was a wide gravelly bicycle track. There wasn’t much room—they’d have to be single file all the way.
    ‘Ready!’ called Pete. The crowd went quiet. ‘Racing!’
    King jumped but Jack’s horse was first away. It bolted down the path, Jack urging it on. Angus kept King back, close to the other horse’s heels but not so he could be kicked. The rain camedown in sheets, making it hard to see the young horse. Angus waited. It was nearly two kilometres around the track: Jack’s horse was bound to get tired.
    They went around the first bend. The ground was slippery at the turn and Angus held King in, afraid that he’d come crashing down. The other horse pulled away in front, sending clods of dirt up into Angus’s face.
    The storm was right overhead. Lightning flashed and thunder came on top of it, scaring both horses. Jack’s horse faltered. Angus caught a glimpse of the whites of its eyes as it tried to leap away. Jack sawed at its mouth but the horse wasn’t listening. It put its head down and bucked.
    Angus urged King past. They flew around the next corner. In the flashes of light, Angus could see the crowd waving their arms and punching their fists into the air. He put his head down on his horse’s neck. ‘Let’s go, King. Come on, boy.’
    Behind them, Jack was gaining. Angus heard the frantic scrabble of the other horse’s hooves and knew it was bolting. He looked around quickly, just in time to see Jack sweep past, totally out of control. The young horse got tothe last corner first, but didn’t turn. It kept going straight ahead, disappearing into the trees.
    King took the corner easily. His strong legs carried