"I hate time," one said to the other.

"Time is only a manmade measurement. If you think about it, it really doesn't exist," the other replied.

"How can something that doesn't even exist...fly by so easily?"

"Tch. You're just being weak."

The one person looked down, a solemn look on their face.

"Get yourself together. Straighten out your life. If you don't, then I'm leaving you."

"Okay then."

The person turned away, facing the invisible track. Ghosts of other participants in the race appeared.

They were all already running.

The person felt the chains on their legs. Bulky, heavy. Everything was so unfair.

But the other person could not see those chains. Only the racer's incompetence.

A judgmental stare, a disgusted frown.

"I'm trying," the racer spoke, pitifully. They ran as fast as they could with the chain.

Another racer ran past and pushed them over.

More delay.

While they were getting up from the ground, another racer with a chain approached.

Hope?

They gave the other their chain and sprinted on.

While they were still on the ground, someone stepped on their arms. Their legs.

A scream of agony, with the sound of crunching bones.

"You're weak."

The racer looked up in horror. "No, don't leave me...!" they begged pitifully.

The person left.

More racers ran past. Like a stampede of animals.

Racers messing up the track.

Racers adding more chains.

Racers stomping on that one with all the chains.

That one just couldn't stand it anymore.

So, they just left the race.

Maybe they'd have a better chance during the next race.