Brake Check by Gitte Tamar

Author:Gitte Tamar [Tamar, Gitte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BTW LLC
Published: 2024-02-18T00:00:00+00:00

15

GAS FUMES

Once again, lightning strikes, causing the thunder to boom and the building to shake.

Flinching, Rich tries to ignore the sting from sweat rolling into his eyes, but the dull bite of the salty drops makes him irritable.

A shadow sweeps across the hallway’s earth-toned wallpaper, contradicting the calming effect of the dim lighting. Broad golden accents spackle the walls.

Rich’s heart skips a beat as he hears children’s racing footsteps. Startled by the breeze caused by someone running past, he immediately focuses straight ahead. He quickly scans from left to right; he’s alone. Sighing, he shakes his head. “You can’t let every little noise distract you. You gotta focus.”

Both ends of the hallway look to be an equal distance from where he stands.

Frustration sets in as he struggles to choose a direction. “You can out-drive anyone out there but can’t make a simple decision when your life is on the line? Seriously?”

Falling silent, he listens for a clue, and his ears are met with the sound of a high-performance engine idling in the distance. Taking a deep breath, he says, “I’ve gotta race to win!”

He proceeds down the hallway until he reaches a flight of stairs and swiftly descends to the bottom. Each strike of thunder rumbles louder outside, blending with the howl of the motor. As the unforgiving marble floor repels each engine echo, the sounds mush together, creating a deafening roar in the darkness.

Unable to tell where it is coming from, Rich nervously clenches his fists and shifts his attention to any hint of light.

Across the way is a dingy white door. Even though it is partially hidden behind the opposing stairwell, he can see a stream of warm lighting coming from beneath it.

He finds something about it unsettling as he analyzes its rundown nature and the surrounding discolored walls. It reminds him of his last visit to his mother’s hospital room.

Clearing his throat to stop his emotions, he sighs. “Boy, I sure hope that’s the garage.”

As the scent of gasoline wafts through the air, he hears a wave of children’s laughter coming from the top of the stairs and skittishly jumps. Giving an anxious laugh, he diverts his attention to the aroma. The familiar stench brings him an odd comfort. “This place smells like a mechanic’s shop,” he says. “Just like home.”

Swiftly following the odor, he finds himself standing in front of the door. The pungent stench of fuel wafts from the other side as he looks down, drawn in by the captivating warmth of the light.

“Rich,” a deep voice whispers. “I’m in here…”

Before he can process the call, another wave of thunder rattles the home, making him jump. He grabs the handle and aggressively rips it away from the door—the intense aroma of gasoline leaks from the gaping hole, along with a loud engine rattle.

Clutching the metal in his hand, he lowers himself to the ground for a better view. Blinding lights pierce through the hole, making it impossible to see.

His irritation gets the best of him, and he grunts.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.