Freedom And Despair (BATMM Angst)

Saving Crusher

"What does he mean by 'the other side of the waves'?" Watts asked.

"I don't know..." Stripes's eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"I do!" Pickle spoke up, panic rising as he began to tremble. "Years ago, his... his Aunt Fern had... had jumped of the bridge during a storm..."

"Wait..." Darington's eyes widened. "She didn't jump off THE bridge, d-did she...?"

"THE bridge?" Blaze glanced at him in confusion. "What are you talking about, Darry?"

"He's talkin' about the... the Blood Bridge," Starla shuddered.

"The Blood Bridge?" Gabby looked just as confused. "What's that?"

"It's a bridge at the edge of the city," Stripes explained. "It's where many, MANY trucks get killed, either by the storm or by—"

"Jumping off bridge!" Zeg shivered. "Bridge scary! Many jump off bridge!"

"OH NO!" Pickle gasped in horror. "Crusher's planning to jump off the bridge!"

"WE'VE GOT TO STOP HIM!" Darington cried out.

"Where's the bridge?!" AJ questioned as they all began to panic.

"I'LL LEAD THE WAY!" Starla declared then they all zoomed out of the room.

X

The storm was getting closer to the city. The clouds were growing dark, and the waves of the sea were growing intense by the minute.

He stood by the bridge, just near the edge, waiting for the storm to be close enough for him to go.

For him to jump.

For him to end his despair.

For him to reach his freedom.

Soon, rain fell from the dark, cloudy sky. The rain trickled down his face with his tears as he neared the edge little by little, his front tires almost falling over as he shut his eyes.

This was it.

The moment he had been waiting for.

Just as he was about to jump, he heard voices from afar.

"CRUSHER!"

"CRUSHER, STOP!"

"DON'T JUMP!"

"CRUSHER, PLEASE!"

His eyes flashed open, and he turned to see Blaze and AJ, Pickle, Darington, Stripes, Zeg, Watts and Gabby, and Starla zipping towards him at top speed. He looked shocked as they skidded to a stop in front of him.

"You... wh-what are you guys doing here...?"

"We read your diary," Blaze admitted as he drove forward, making his tears visible for the dark blue truck to see. "Crusher, please, PLEASE don't do this!"

"Don't jump!" AJ cried out, eyes also looking tearful.

"I... WHY NOT?!" He shook his head, shutting his eyes and allowing more of his tears to roll down his cheeks. "IT'S NOT LIKE ANY OF YOU CARED! WHY START NOW?!"

"We DO care about you!" Starla defended, her lips quivering as the rain poured harder on them all.

"We're sorry if we left you behind!" Stripes apologized, not even bothering to wipe his own tears. "Whatever you did, we deserved it!"

"Yeah!" Darington agreed, trying to hold himself together. "We're the bad friends!"

"N-No... that's not true," He sniffled with shaky tires. "I... I'm the bad friend! I'M HORRIBLE! I'M THE BAD GUY, THE ANTI, THE ONE EVERYONE HATES!"

"That's not true!" Watts yelled out.

"WE don't hate you!" Gabby added.

"LIES!" He snarled. "DO YOU GUYS REALLY EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT?! EVERYONE HATES ME! MY FAMILY, THE CITIZENS OF AXLE CITY, YOU ALL... BASICALLY EVERYONE!"

"Crusher, believe us, please!" Blaze begged. "If we hated you, do you think we'd rescue you whenever you're in trouble?! Or fix you whenever you're hurt?!"

"We care for you, Crusher!" AJ told him, in a tone similar to the red truck's. "We all do! Believe us!"

"But... But why?!" He hissed, gritting his teeth. "WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT ME?! I DON'T DESERVE IT! I DON'T DESERVE ANYTHING! NOT EVEN MY OWN LIFE!"

"Crusher, NO!" Pickle grabbed onto the other before he could jump. "DON'T JUMP, PLEASE! IF YOU'RE GONNA JUMP THEN TAKE ME WITH YOU!"

"GET OFF, PICKLE!" He tried to pry the green truck off of him, but he wouldn't budge and held on tighter. "LET GO!"

"NO!" Pickle shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I WON'T!"

"WHY NOT?!"

"Because I love you!"

His eyes widened as he was taken back by the confession. Before he could say anything, however, Pickle beat him to it.

"I LOVE YOU, CRUSHER!" the green truck yelled out, grip on him tightening. "I WANNA BE WITH YOU, THROUGH LIFE AND THROUGH DEATH! IF YOU'RE GONNA DIE THEN THERE'S NO POINT OF ME LIVING EITHER!"

He was left speechless, his heart suddenly heavy with guilt as his stomach dropped and churned inside of him. Finally, he broke down onto the ground, the tears he had been holding for years coming out and causing his body to tremble.

Pickle held him as much as he could. Blaze and AJ came forward and did the same.

"Shh, shh..." the red truck assured him softly and gently. "It's gonna be okay. We're gonna be right here for you, right, everyone?"

The others gave a nod before zooming over to join the embrace.

And despite the cold rain and the harsh wind, he felt their the warmth.