The big lights make everything as bright as day, although the sky is black. Lots and lots and lots of people sit in the stands, all looking down on the track, where he and the other boys are getting ready to run. His mommy ties his shoes for him. “How’s that, sweetheart?” she says and kisses his forehead. His daddy smiles and waves from the stands. He waves back. “Hi, Daddy!”
The man with the gun that looks real says, “Runners, take your marks.” He takes one last stretch before he comes to stand behind the starting line, marveling at how big his feet have grown. Ahead, a white ribbon stretches across to mark the finish. He thinks, Can I do this?
