Cars

Doc Races

Ruby/Lightning's POV:

"Hey, listen, listen! If anyone asks you, we was out smashin' mailboxes, okay?" Mater quickly requested before running off.

I stood there puzzled before chuckling, "Wha... what?"

Rumbling!!

"Moo!!!"

I quickly turned around to see a herd of cows charging down the road. I gasped and jumped out of the way as their hoofs pounded against the pavement past me. "Oh, man, the paint's wet!" Ramone shouted, fleeing away from the stampede with a yellow spray can in his hands. Red quickly grabbed his horn from inside his truck and blew it.

HONK!

"Moo!!!"

The cows separated from each other and bolted around the townsfolk. Luigi gasps, "No, no, no, no! Get out of the store. Hey! Don't eat the radial! Here, take-a the snow tires." He scowled as a cow took a tire and tried to chew it to bits.

"Mater!" The Sheriff yelled.

"I wasn't tractor-tippin'!"

"Then did all these gol-durn cows come from?" The Sheriff scolded as he bolted after a giant cow.

"Whoa, boy!" Mater tried to grab a cow.

I stood on the side, watching everyone chase after the herd. Finally, I turned my gaze to see a cow wandering off to Willy's Butte, "Hey! Hey, guys! There's one goin' this way," I started to follow it, "I got it." I called out. I followed the cow, trying to distract it, so it didn't hurt itself.

"Come here, little cow, come here. Yeah, that's a good cow." The cow stops for a second, only to start walking away again.

"No, no, no, no, come here. What are you doing? You're not supposed to go wandering off all..." I stopped to see Doc in his car on the track, "...alone."

I slowly made my way behind a cactus and waited to see what happened, "What are you doin' with those old racin' tires?" I wondered, "Come on, Doc, drive," I whispered. I felt my heart pounding in excitement.

The sound of a running engine made me smile. As his car sped down the track, Doc's back tires kicked up dust. I tensed up as Doc edged closer to the last turn. What he did next surprised me. Doc's car slid as he turned the wheels to the right, never leaving the track. "Turn right to go left," I whispered, fully understanding what Doc had done.

I dashed up to Doc's car once he entirely stopped on the track.

"Ah... Yeah." Doc sighs.

"Wow." I was awed as I reached Doc's window.

"Huh?" Doc faces me, startled.

"You're amazing!"

Doc glared at me and hit the gas, speeding away from me. I coughed as the dust kicked up in the air, "What are you doin'? Doc, wait!" I sprinted down to the road calling out to him. Once I made it back to the town, I spotted Mater herding the cows away.

"Mooo!"

"Giddup right in there! Come on, Rusty." Mater shouts. Once they left, I bolted to Doc's clinic in time to see him exit out of his car and into the garage. "Doc, hold it!" I stopped the door from closing, "Seriously, your driving's incredible!"

"Wonderful. Now, go away." Doc growled, his back towards me. I refused to let that stop me.

"Hey, I mean it. You've still got it!"

"I'm askin' you to leave." Doc spat, snapping his head towards me.

"Come on. I'm a racer, you're a much older racer, but under the hood you and I are the same." I tried to reason with him.

"We are not the same! Understand? Now, get out." He yelled, storming out of the garage. I was baffled, "How could a racer like you quit at the top of your game?" I glared after him. He stopped, turned around, and slowly approached me, "You think I quit?" He spoke, flipping a switch on his left.

I turned my head to see a newsletter from 1954, "Right. Your big wreck in '54." I whispered. 'Hudson Hornet: Out for season.' I felt a pang in my chest.

"They quit on me." Doc clenched his fists together as his body shook slightly with anger, "When I finally woke, and my car got put together, I went back expecting a big welcome. You know what they said? "You're history." Moved right on to the next rookie standing in line."

He released his grip and bowed his head slightly, "There was a lot left in me. But, unfortunately, I never got a chance to show 'em. I keep that to remind me never to go back. I just never expected that that world would... would find me here." I turned away from the framed newspaper and frowned, "Hey, look, Doc, I'm not them."

"Oh, yeah?" He scoffed.

"No, I'm not."

"When is the last time you cared about something except yourself, hot rod? You name me one time and I will take it all back."

I felt like I just got punched in the gut. Before I could explain, Doc gave a dry chuckle.

"Uh-huh. I didn't think so. These are good folk around here, who care about one another. I don't want 'em depending on someone they can't count on." He crossed his arms. "How could he say that?!" Hearing him say that angered me.

"Oh, like you? You've been here how long and your friends don't even know who you are?"

Doc flinched at my comeback.

"Who's caring about only himself?" I growled.

"Just finish that road and get outta here!" Doc shouted before stomping outside. I stood there in shock. "First fight with my father, and he doesn't even know who I am!" I turned my head back to the picture on the wall and felt tears building up. Closing my eyes tightly, I refused to cry.

"That's it!" I growled. I stomped out of the garage and to the motel. I tore off my jacket, stripped the wrappings off, and entered my room. I ripped the wig off my head and hopped in the shower to cool down. After ten minutes of a nice cold shower that helped me just a little, I saw that everyone had gone to bed.

I zipped up my jacket, not bothering with the wrappings, and slipped on my wig. I opened my door and into the fantastic night and spotted Bessie by the other side of the Cafe. I began pulling the machine to finish the road, marching up to it. The moon showed above me, lighting the road for me to see.

I grunted as I pulled the bulldozer, thinking about my argument with Doc. "How could he say that! Telling me that these folks can't depend on someone they can't count on?!" My body shook with anger. I glanced at the road to see how far I had to go. "Wow!" I stopped pulling Bessie, "I have a few feet left to go." I wiped my forehead. Being lost in my thoughts sure made time fly. I turned my head to the right to see Mater's truck and house.

"Hmmm..."

Dropping the rope, I tip-toed to his house and glanced inside. It was dark and quiet. I giggled softly, stepping away from the home, thinking about Mater driving backward, "He's nuts, but really cute." I blinked a few times, "Did I just think that?" I wondered out loud. I grabbed the rope and finished the rest of the road in ten minutes. Once I reached the 'End work zone' signs, I put the machine to the side of the road and walked back to the motel.