To a loud wave of cheering, Matthew took his foot off the brake pedal.

At first, things were going according to plan. He was going straight and keeping up with his family, albeit slightly behind, but as he crossed the halfway point of the grassy clearing something hard hit the back of his cart, making him swerve lose and lose speed.

Matthew looked to see what it was and saw Dirty Pete was right behind him, his mess of a cart now moving along with only three whole wheels. The fourth wheel had a huge chunk missing. The chunk was what had hit him.

'Sorry,' Dirty Pete shouted.

With the loss of speed, most of the racers were now ahead of Matthew, with his family well in front of him. He was very eager to catch up, his heart pounding with adrenaline.

'You all right?' Matthew heard Chloe yell over the noise of the spectators, including howls of laughter, aimed at him, from both the Westies and the Mongraw Gang.

As Dirty Pete passed him, Matthew held up his arm, gesturing to Chloe that he was all right.

'What was that, Dirty Pete?' bellowed John. 'You shouldn't be riding that thing you call a cart. It's a disgrace.' This brought more laughter.

Matthew watched as a mishmash of carts formed before the first corner. There was a lot bumping and crashing into one another but nothing too violent to send anyone out of the race. It didn't take long before there was a crash, though. On the second stretch of the race, the section the bump, a boy from the Free Territory got t-boned by Leech. The boy's cart, which was a barrel with wheels, exploded in a ball of splinters. Leech's cart carried on as if nothing happened.

Matthew was glad the boy, who had been flung several feet because of the crash, was fine, standing up on his own, but soon became enraged after seeing how proud Leech looked at what he had just done.

Suddenly, he saw children pop up at the side of the track in front of him. The spectators had begun to make their way down the hill and to the finish line, watching the race as they go.

The next stretches of the race, which included the cave and the steep decline, saw many more race-ending crashes. Fortunately, none of them involved his family, but sadly, the Westies or the Mongraw Gang weren't involved either. He did see Dirty Pete crash. His front wheel had disintegrated entirely after hitting a slight dip and his cart veered off the track, hitting a tree with a loud crack.

Those stretches of the race also saw Matthew lose even more ground to the carts ahead of him. Slowing down at the start was the reason, for they just had more speed. And everyone who had been in front of him and who hadn't crashed, Leech included, eventually disappeared from sight. He didn't lose any hope, for he felt good, alive, and he was riding Blue Blizzard to near perfection.

Even when he saw Norman in trouble on the sixth stretch of the race, a stretch with so many ups and downs, his positivity didn't wane.

'What's wrong?' he shouted at Norman, his cart moving at half of what it should be.

Norman looked around. 'Ah, there you are. Punctured tire. I'm done. What happened to you?'

'Dirty Pete. Slowed me down. How the others doing?'

'Leading pack I think.'

'Am I close?' asked Matthew, as he sped passed Norman.

'A few corners ahead,' Norman called out. 'Plenty of time to catch up .' He finished loudly, giving Matthew a boost to his already high spirits, with, 'Go get 'em.'

Matthew sent Blue Blizzard careening round the next corner with such ferocity that with just a little more speed he would surely have tipped right over. He then crunched his way over Pebble Pass, a section filled with inch-deep pebbles, flew down another steep decline, and danced under, over and around rotting tree trunks.

He was entering the Chute, a long and winding gap in the rock, when he caught sight of the leading pack in the next section of the race below. Slink was in the lead, followed by Simon (he was still wearing the crown), Maud, Terry, another Westie, and four others from the Mongraw Gang.

What happened to Jennifer, Ramon and Astrid, he wondered? But then he saw them battling it out inside the large chasing pack close behind.

'You're gaining on them,' yelled a voice from above. Standing at the top of a rock, next to a torch wielding member of the RCS, was John.

Matthew was about to wave when he saw Ramon spin off the track and out of the race.

'Oh!' shouted John, clearly seeing Ramon too. 'He's all right. So unlucky.'

Exiting the Chute, Matthew overtook his first Westie who had not crashed out or who wasn't racing damaged, a straggler trying to catch up like him. The Westie, a plump boy, was not at all pleased with this and cursed him with much animation.

Passing the next half a dozen or so racers (more stragglers) seemed to dash by. Blue Blizzard was tearing the track up. And when Matthew caught up to the chasing pack, he told Blue Blizzard, 'Well done.' He added, 'It's not over, though.'

Getting through what was in front of him was going to be an extremely hard task, but this was cart racing. He flew by the halfway point of the race, marked by a spinning red and white barber's pole.

A monster of a boy with the biggest of carts was Matthew's first obstacle. It would have been difficult for him to get around the cart even if the boy didn't know he was coming (his cart was that huge), but as it so happened the boy did, a look of shock on his face at seeing how fast Blue Blizzard was going.

The boy followed every movement Matthew made to try and get around, blocking his path off. If Matthew went left, the boy went left. If Matthew went right, the boy went right. As the boy's attention was more on Matthew, however, he didn't notice the corner up ahead. The boy drove right into the forest.

Sarah, one of the leaders of the Westies, was next in line. It only took seconds to move even with her, but the instant Matthew did, she began ramming him. Strangely, she also started to talk to him in a calm and happy manner, as if they were friends, as if the race wasn't happening, as if she wasn't trying to knock him off the track. She told him how she liked the look of Blue Blizzard, commented on the weather and asked how he was enjoying Spring Heights.

Matthew was very pleased when he got away, speeding ahead in utmost elation.

Just then, Astrid was out of the race. Matthew didn't see what had happened as carts were blocking his view, but she had come to a dead stop in the middle of the track. He, like the other racers in front of him, had to swerve so as not to hit her.

For the next minute or two, Matthew worked and worked his way up the standings, eventually finding his way next to Jennifer.

'Nice of you to show up,' she said to him with a smile, as they both exited a corner and plunged into The Bowl, a dried-up pond that once housed Spring Heights' last remaining beavers.

'Well, seeing that I'm the better racer,' retorted Matthew in jest, 'I thought giving you guys a head start was only fair.'

Shaking her head, Jennifer grinned. She asked about Astrid and if she was all right.

'From what I saw, yes.'

'Did you pass Norman? Is he behind us?'

'A punctured tire.'

'Drat. So, it's just me, Slink and you.'

'Yep.'

'Well, that'll have to do. You ready?'

'Ready.'

Together, using some racing tactics, including the Sling Shot and the Goose Formation, they made their way close to the front of the chasing pack. Something was waiting for them.

'A MONGRAW WALL!!!' bellowed Jennifer.

The Wall was another racing tactic and it involved the lining of carts side by side from one side of the track to the other, preventing carts behind it from getting through. Leech along with other Mongraw carts had formed one. Charlie and a few Westies were trying to break through by hitting the backs of the carts, but to no avail.

'There's gotta be something we can do,' said Matthew, hearing Leech laugh.

'All we can do is do what they're doing.'

They gave Charlie a helping hand.

But after Matthew had hit the back of Leech's cart for the fifth time, he said angrily to Jennifer, 'This is useless.' He stared beyond the Wall and to the leading pack, wishing he was there helping Slink, who was now in fifth place behind, Simon, Terry, Maud and another member of the Mongraw Gang.

'Just keep trying,' Jennifer said back.

Matthew was about to give Leech another little ram when he noticed something. A Westie at the back of the leading pack had begun to veer off toward the side of the track, cursing his steering wheel and his brakes for all the world to hear. Matthew quickly realized that it was all an act, though, as the Westies behind the Wall had begun to fall back. They knew what was going to happen next and so did he. Leech and his fellow members, on the other hand, had no idea.

Matthew warned Jennifer. 'Something's about to happen . . . fall back,' he said softly, but eagerly, to her. He wanted to warn Charlie too but she was too far away and he didn't want to yell and broadcast it to Leech. Anyway, there wasn't enough time to tell her.

The feigning Westie made it to the side of the track, but wasn't there for long. He had timed it perfectly, shooting back into the track and taking Leech and his fellow members by surprise. They had no time to react and all of them, including Leech, crashed into the Westie, ending their race.

The Wall was no more, Matthew and Jennifer managing to squeeze through the carnage of its aftermath. All the trapped Westies made it through as well but Charlie wasn't so lucky and ended up in the back of Leech's wreck of a cart.

'That was an incredible Wall Sacrifice,' said Jennifer, in shock.

Happy to see Leech out of the race, Matthew replied back to Jennifer, 'Yeah, that sure took some guts.'

'Well done for spotting it,' Jennifer said back to him.

Making it to the leading pack with Jennifer felt good, even though the pack had just entered Moss Ridge (aka The Slippery Spine, aka The Perilous Pinch), a daunting section of the race that frightened the seasonal veteran. And as Matthew immediately started to slide from side to side, owing to all the moss, his eyes gravitated to the skirmish in front of him.

Several carts ahead were Terry and Simon and they were going at it, smashing into one another relentlessly. Parts were breaking off their carts and flying in every direction, littering the track.

Matthew and the others had wondered if the alliance between the Mongraw Gang and the Westies would extend to the cart races, but if the race so far was any indication, that was a resounding no.

'I think Slink would like some friendly company right about now,' Jennifer said. 'What do you reckon?'

'I think you're right.'

'I'll lead the way.'

Matthew nodded, and off Jennifer went. But she didn't get far. Just about to pass him, mother nature decided to take her out.

Leaves, twigs and pinecones suddenly showered Moss Ridge, caused by a gust of wind that had rattled the trees above. It was a very large twig that took Jennifer out. It fell right into one of her front wheels, jamming it as if she had slammed on the brakes, the abruptness of which sent the back of her cart into the air.

Matthew looked on in horror as Jennifer skidded forward on her front wheels, hoping she wouldn't flip over. She didn't, but the back of her cart crashed back down on the ground with such a force that her back wheels crumbled in on themselves. The look of pure dismay at crashing out was the only emotion plastered on her face.

It only took Matthew the remainder of Moss Ridge and half the length of The Fox's Throne (a stretch of race featuring large stones, one resembling a throne) to reach Slink. He was behind Terry and Simon, whose skirmish had now grown to several carts, including Maud, the race leader.

'OY!!!' yelled Matthew, after getting a not so nice welcome from Slink. Slink had cut him off.

Slink glanced round at Matthew's voice and grimaced at what he had done. 'Sorry,' he said, very apologetically. 'I was in the zone . . . involuntary reaction.'

'No worries.'

'It's good to see you.'

'You too. Quite the battle going on.' Matthew had just seen a member of the Mongraw Gang get sandwiched by two Westies, the result of which didn't end well for his cart. The thing got all bent out of shape, eventually waddling off the track.

'Quite. Luckily they'll take each other out and we can cruise to victory.'

'Sounds good. The others are out by the way.'

'Yeah, I know . . . Chloe just told me.'

Matthew thought he had seen Chloe waving at him when he had entered The Fox's Throne.

WHAM!

Someone had hit Matthew, causing him to fishtail wildly. Then, half his body was dangling over the side of Blue Blizzard. He had been hit a second time.

Desperately, he tried to climb back in, but he just didn't have the strength to do it. Slink attempted to help, getting as close to him as possible. It was no use.

CRUNCH!

All of Matthew's weight being on one side was no match for Blue Blizzard and it tipped over, sending him flying to the ground. He rolled sideways down the track several times before coming to a sprawling stop.

Matthew gasped loudly for air, his eyes turning toward the sky. The crash had left him extremely winded. He wished he could just lie where he was and get his breath back, but he had to get out of harms way. There were still carts racing behind him, their drivers possibly deciding if they wanted to run him over. He scrambled to his feet and dived off the track into a couple of spectators.

Over the sound of passing carts a split second later, one of the spectators, a girl with bright blue eyes, asked Matthew if he was all right and kept on asking until he got his breath back and was able to answer.

'Yeah, I'm fine,' he said, as more spectators showed up around him. A wave of disappointment washed over him. His race was done. Jumping into his cart was all he wanted to do, but even if Blue Blizzard hadn't sustained any damage he wouldn't be able to catch up to the leading pack.

'Very unlucky,' said the girl. 'You were racing really well.'

'Move outta the way,' yelled a voice. It was John. 'Give him some space.'

All the children around Matthew departed, his family taking their places.

'What a race you were racing,' said Chloe.

'Thanks,' Matthew replied, glancing at Blue Blizzard. Blue Blizzard was still in the middle of the track.

'That Wall Sacrifice was something else, wasn't it?' John said. 'Jennifer was telling me you saw it coming. How?'

Matthew turned to answer and saw that John was soaking. 'What happened to you?'

John gave him a scowl.

He clearly didn't want to talk about it so Chloe answered for him. 'He tripped over a root and fell into a puddle,' she said.

'Thanks for sharing that, Chloe,' said John. 'Can we please go and see how's Slink's getting on . . . please?'

Once Matthew, and with John's help, retrieved Blue Blizzard from the track (he first had to get permission from a member of the RCS to do so), they proceeded straight down the hill.

'So, how did you know that Westie was going to perform a Wall Sacrifice?' John asked.

Matthew didn't hear John ask the question. His mind was still on crashing out of the race, his disappointment now turned to anger. He should have done better.

'Hey,' snapped John, now getting Matthew's attention. 'Don't beat yourself up about what happened. You did your best. It was the best performance I've seen from a first-timer before.'

'But now it's all up to Slink,' said Matthew. 'If we don't win –'

'That's life,' interrupted John. 'It rarely ever goes the way you want it to go.'

Matthew's mood changed the very second he and his family made it to The Incline (the only section of the race track that was all uphill. The incline wasn't noticeable but it was an incline all the same). He could see the leading pack above him making their way down and Slink was way out in front, at least two cart lengths.

'Slink's in the lead.'

'We could do this,' yelled Chloe, jumping onto a rock to get a better look. 'Slink could win.'

Putting Blue Blizzard down to give his arms a rest, Matthew noticed there were no members of the Mongraw Gang in the leading pack.

'Look at Simon,' said Jennifer. 'I wonder what happened to him?'

Simon, who was in fifth place, had a huge gash in his racing suit, and the crown on his head was upside down, almost covering his eyes.

When the leading pack eventually reached The Incline, all the spectators erupted with chants for who they wanted to win, the Free Territory children easily drowning out the Westies with chants for Slink. When the leading pack disappeared down The Plunge, everyone took off. Matthew and his family headed straight for the finish. There they could see the final five sections of the race.

A long ribbon held by two small children made up the finish line. Matthew and his family were the first of the spectators to arrive and quickly took up their positions next to it. If Slink was going to win, they wanted to be as close to that incredible moment as possible. As they waited in anticipation for the carts, other children began to appear, joining them.

Apricot had a wonderful surprise for them when she showed up. She told them all the racers for the Mongraw Gang were out of the race.

A little later after Apricot, the entire Mongraw Gang showed up and they did not look at all pleased. Terry led the way looking absolutely terrifying, swearing and shouting. Leech was livid as well, punching all the trees he came across until his hands were all bloodied. Not surprisingly, they did not stick around to watch the end of the race and swiftly left the park.

When the leading pack made its appearance on the fifth to last section, the finish line was almost as crowded as the starting line was at the start of the race. With everyone so close together, many of whom doling out a push and shove now and again, Matthew regretted getting a front row seat. Countless times he was nearly pushed onto the track. His family didn't seem to mind, though, with many of them clearly enjoying pushing back. John looked to have enjoyed it too much.

Slink was still in the lead, but just by a cart length now, and he was zigzagging all over the place trying to prevent any of the Westies from passing him ('He sure is good at cutting people off,' said Matthew). His lead wasn't going to last, though, as the Jungle Gym was coming up, the widest and craziest section of the track. It was crazy because it was filled with manmade obstacles purposely put there.