Based on True Events

_"Has anybody ever told you the story-"_ I'm yelling even though he's in the passenger seat next to me. We have the windows down, the sunroof open- I'd be fighting against the ipod but I had turned that down in anticipation for my speech. _"-of how when you make a deal with the devil, you have to beat him in a contest?"_

He's looking at me like he's never heard of Charlie Daniels.

_"Well,"_ I'm staring down at the speedometer- Akina is thrumming along at 4,500 RPMs from under her carbon fiber hood, and I need to keep it there. I take one of my hands off the wheel to tighten the four-point harness. As my hand comes away, I glance at the face of my hand-built watch.

*16:19:30* is important but not nearly as important as the neutrino dial- it is nearly full.

I start to tremble. I look back at him. He's still waiting for me to finish my sentence.

My watch hand goes to rest on the handbrake. It's warm from the sunlight.

_"They never mention that you have to beat him twice."_

The watch beeps. I pull.