THE DAY GREYHAVEN FINALLY STOOD TALL

Chapter 9

The starting horn sounded.

Both boats exploded forward.

Blackridge took the lead immediately.

Their supporters roared.

Greyhaven struggled.

The gap widened.

Five meters.

Ten.

Fifteen.

Ethan stood on the dock.

“Keep the rhythm!”

The Greyhaven crew pushed harder.

The boat moved.

Not fast enough.

Blackridge remained ahead.

Then one Greyhaven rower shouted:

“Again!”

The others responded.

Their paddles struck the water together.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

The boat surged.

The gap narrowed.

The crowd became louder.

Walter screamed.

“KEEP GOING!”

Blackridge looked back.

That was the first mistake.

They looked back.

Greyhaven didn’t.

The final stretch came.

The boats were almost even.

Ethan could see the finish line.

He could see the faces.

The final strokes came faster.

Then Greyhaven crossed first.

For half a second, nobody reacted.

Then the harbor exploded.