I never got to see who exactly was in ninth place. No, unfortunately, I was far too fast to get the chance.
Somewhere down the winding line, I came to notice the absence of any chiming bells swaying, chiming to and fro. Hat must have flown away… never even realized it.
Oh well, good riddance.
Got more important matters to tend to anyhow. Like taking back seventh place.
Before, I'd see a hefty struggle for contention ahead of me. A battle hard-fought, a battle that carried with it a likely risk of loss. Now, I don't even know if I could consider my breezing past them within seconds 'trying'.
Didn't even have time to fling a bucket, didn't even have a chance for a second glance. To them, I must have been a flicker, a blur… they certainly looked that way to me, when I turned their way to try and have a chat.