Page 105 of The Legend
Soon the imagesfaded and the sounds dimmed. I could focus once again on my wife, my soulstanding beside me.
“S...sway...?”
I felt hertouch my arm, the sensation was pleasant and I wanted that feeling rather thanthe painful ache in my chest and throat. My vision was bleary, blurred linesnever really becoming clear.
“Oh godJameson, thank god.” She collapsed beside me, clinging against my side. Imoaned, it hurt for her to touch me but I wanted the touch. Gritting againstthe pain, I let her.
“H-h-h-oney?”I wanted to ask if she was okay but Icouldn’t get that many words together at once.
One wasall I could manage before the light would return followed by the dark.
EventuallyI kept my eyes open.
The roomwas dim again and Sway was beside me.
This timeI was able to turn my head but was immediately knocked with a nauseated pulsingthroughout my stomach followed by pain in my chest again.
I breathedthrough it, bearing down determined to focus on my wife.
Shesmiled. I wanted to return the gesture but I couldn’t. With the pain, focusingon her took everything I had.
“Clo...ser?”I asked hoping she understand I needed hernext to me. She seemed to hesitate at my request and looked around the room.“Pl...e-e-e-ase?”
Words wereeasier this time. Though it was painful, being away from her was even morepainful.
Sheclimbed in beside me, gently lying down, though it wasn’t enough.
I wantedher closer but the pain radiating throughout me kept me from pulling her towardme. I settled on being able to feel the warmth of her. I was still so cold.
I countedher breaths to keep from letting the pain overtake me completely.
18.Yellow Flag – Axel
Yellow Flag– This flag is displayed to signify a caution during the race.Usually resulting from a crash, spin, or debris on the track.Cars are to slow down and not to pass while the hazard is cleared from thetrack.
SPEEDNEWS Charlotte NC–
LegendaryWorld of Outlaws driver, Jimi Riley, killed in Knoxville crash. Son, JamesonRiley, air lifted and listed in critical condition.
Every newsreport had a shocking title. Every news reporter wanted the story. They hoveredand watched our every movement. They were at the hospital. They were in theparking lot. They were at the airport. Back at the sprint car shop, they werethere too.
We had oneoption now. Keep going. It was the only way to honor their wishes.
Tommy,Willie and me flew back to the sprint car shop in Mooresville. We had damagecontrol to do. Aunt Alley came with us and her and Melissa, my dad’s businessmanager fielded the media and answered the questions with as much vagueness asthey could get away with.
Back atthe shop, the crew guys had gathered along with most of my dad’s Cup team atJAR Racing.
The factof the matter was that none of us wanted to admit that what happened inKnoxville was anything more than an accident. It’s hard when an accidenthappens because placing blame is easier than accepting the fact that it was anaccident.
Now,looking at the two cars as they sat mangled in the middle of the shop undergoinginvestigation, something wasn’t adding up. Any way you look at it, that rollcage on my dad’s car wouldn’t have held up in that crash regardless.
But theway it crumbled was an eerie sight.
Tommyleaned inside the car, his hands took a firm hold on what was left of the rollcage and tugged. Looking over his shoulder, his brow rose. “This shouldn’t beloose.”
We allknew what that meant. After a closer look, we saw the partial welds were thereshould have been full welds. That’s why the cage collapsed the way it did.
Looking atthat car, the mangled mess of destruction, my blood ran cold as I thought ofwhat he had done and whose lives he had put in danger.
