Chapter 3: Finding Herbie

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Maggie's POV

I jump out of my dads ute and my feet hit the dirt covered ground, "dad, what are we doing here?"
"Buying you a car" I smile at his kind gesture
"I appreciate the gesture but I'll only be here for like a month" I said guiltily because I will be going to find a job in a different state.
"You don't want me driving you around for a month, happy graduation!" Dad declares happily I smile at him and we enter the scrapyard called 'Crazy Dave's'.

I walk through the many piles and stacks of broken and rusted cars and my eyes land on a car that is almost in perfect condition, "wow, a stock car" I mumble to myself. I walk over to the black car covered in sponsor stickers and excitement sparks inside me.

I sit in the car seat and feel the steering wheel and teleport to my fake reality. "One lap to go, Maggie Peyton is about to make NASCAR history!"
"She's going, she's going.....SHE'S DONE IT!"
I squeal quietly to myself,
"She's the first female driver to take the NEXTEL cup! Wow!" My thoughts are interrupted,
"Hey Maggie, you find anything yet?" My dad yells from the front of the scrapyard. I scurry out of the car, "nothing yet, still looking!"
"Ok, hon" I take one last look at the stock car and walk to the front to find my dad.

Herbie's POV
I see a tall woman with ginger hair, green eyes and freckles on her face walk over to a car across from me and my excitement goes through the roof, if I play my cards right I will be able to get out of here!

I watch as she climbs into the stock car almost cautiously, "One lap to go, Maggie Peyton is about to make NASCAR history!" She whispers.
"She's going, she's going.....SHE'S DONE IT!"
I hear her say excitedly,
"She's the first female driver to take the NEXTEL cup! Wow!"
I hear someone calling her and she rushes out the stock car and replies back. I try to make myself as big as I can get by buffing out my tires because people prefer big muscle cars over small punch buggies unfortunately.

She walks away without looking at me and I slump back down in defeat, I then hear someone next to me, a forklift lifts me up and carries me to the front of the scrapyard and I start panicking, I'm going to be crushed!

Maggie's POV
I walk over to my dad who is talking to crazy Dave, "what do you think hon?" Dad says curiously
"Nothings calling out to me" I lie because I know dad hated when I street raced back in high school so I didn't tell him about the stock car,

"There is a pre-owned champion out there waiting to be discovered" crazy Dave pipes in. He might be right but it might not be here. I hear a loud horn go off behind me that makes me turn around and I see a Volkswagen beetle. "Dad it's perfect!" I yell
"Just think if this horn hadn't gone off" I say turning to the Volkswagen

"I wouldn't have found this Nissan!" I say turning to the green Nissan next to the Volkswagen.
"Hey Maggie, what about this guy?" Dad says walking up to the Volkswagen with a 53 and blue and red racing stripes.
"These are great! Take care of the engine and they run forever!" He says inspecting it.
I scrunch my nose, "I mean it's cute but dad..." I trail off, "how much for the Nissan?" I ask Crazy Dave
"Good eye, good eye" he compliments while pointing to the Nissan.

"We've had a lot interest in that car this week..." Crazy Dave blurts making my heart drop anxiously, "I'll tell you what I'm gonna do, since you are the first customer today" I hear the Volkswagen being picked up by a crane but I'm trying to focus on Dave. "I think I can cut you a deal" my heart dances but a sudden crash sounds loudly behind me.

The Volkswagen is crashed onto the top of the Nissan, completely crushing it. I roll my eyes at this Volkswagen that this almost destined for me, "I'll give you 50 for the bug" I dead pan to Dave, I mean I'll only be around for a month so I don't really care.
"No can do sorry, you see there has always been something special about that car, wouldn't sell it in a million years"
"75"
"Okay sold! I'll go get the papers" Dave walks off and I let out a sigh of frustration and relief.
"At least we know the horn works" dad says we chuckle then follow Dave into his office.

——————-

My dad is checking up on the car, just basic things like checking the tire pressure and I am practicing tricks on my skateboard. I could've sworn the car was moving with me but I think I was just imagining it.

"Ok Mags, the tyres are good, gas is good, brakes are good..." he trails off when he sees something in the car, I walk next to dad to have a look. "Look at that! The speedometer goes up to 200 miles an hour!" I chuckle, "someone's got a sense of humour" dad smiles at my comment. "All right now, come over to the garage later and Augie will take a look at it" dad says referring to my brothers head mechanic.
"Thank you dad" I say taking the keys from him.

I sit in the car and run my hands over the bare, white steering wheel and watch as dad walks over to his ute and drives away. My attention is drawn to the glove box that fell open, there is an envelope inside.
'Please take care of Herbie.
Whatever you problem, he'll help you find the answer' I scoff at the cheesy letter. I scrunch it up and throw it in the back with a skateboard. "Great a fortune cookie on wheels!" I remark at this already joke of a car.

"Okay let's take it slow" I put the key in and start the car and it suddenly jolts forward.
I scream because I can't take control of the car, no matter how much I put the brake on it won't stop! The car keeps accelerating out of the scrapyard and onto an unknown street. "STOP!" I screech but it still does nothing. "COME ON! YOUR A CAR, I DRIVE!" I state still panicking. The car then pulls into an unknown garage and I see someone lying under a car and is in the Volkswagen's road!

I scream again but the brakes slam on by themselves, I take a moment to calm myself then I hear someone groaning. I rush out of the car and see that I didn't hit him thankfully, "oh my god, I'm so sorry! Let me help you!" I say trying to help him up but he trips on some loose tools and falls back down.
"Are you okay?" I bend down and see it is Kevin from high school. "Maggie? What are you doing here?"

I'm not going to read over this yet so sorry if there are any mistakes
- Author

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