Jailbreak: A Disney Fan Fiction

Chapter 5

The sun was going down, staining the desert sky a breathtaking scarlet. The town was quiet, as it was possibly the last night before the tourist season picked up. The late spring air was warm, and it couldn't have been a better night for a going away party. Flo's Cafe boasted every denizen of Radiator Springs, as everyone wanted to be there before Lightning McQueen and Doc Hudson left for the first race of the season.

The race car was arguably the town's savior. Nearly two years ago, he had sped into the town by accident, destroying the main street while looking for the interstate. After a week of community service and lessons in humility, he'd become a better person, and had put the bypassed town back on the map by building his racing headquarters there.

McQueen tried to talk with everyone, making sure that he spent time with each and every one of his friends. The entire party, though, he'd never left his girlfriend Sally's side. Leaving her was easily the worst part of the racing season. He'd asked her numerous times if she wanted to come along, but she always said that she needed to stay behind and take care of the motel. He understood, and thus made the best of it whenever they were together.

At around ten, Doc (both Lightning's coach and a former racing legend, the Hudson Hornet) made it clear that they needed to get some sleep. They had to get an early start. Everyone got the message, and said goodnight. Mater, who was still mildly afraid of the Ghost Light, drove with McQueen as he went back to his home.

"You promise you won't be gone too long this time?" The tow truck asked.

"I promise, Mater." McQueen answered. "The second I have my Piston Cup, I'll be back here as fast as I can."

The tow truck grinned. He was easily McQueen's best friend, and the two spent a lot of time together whenever McQueen was in town. A day spent with Mater was never boring.

They talked a bit more, making plans to go tractor-tipping when the racing season ended, before they parted ways. McQueen had turned one of the abandoned shops in town into his home. It was small and simple, but always slept better there than he did anywhere else in the world.

Tonight, however, when he rolled in, something about his home felt off. He looked around carefully, but nothing seemed wrong. He wondered if he was just anxious. He sometimes was before he started a new season, despite the fact that he was considered by many to be a champion racer at this point.

He shut the door, and closed his eyes, trying to drift off. He was close to it when he heard something fall over with a loud clang. His eyes shot open and he looked around.

An old tin can that he hadn't managed to throw away yet had been knocked over. How it had been knocked over, he couldn't tell. It was clear across the room, and he hadn't touched it.

The uneasy feeling began to grow. Should he call for someone? Sheriff would be out by the billboard, watching for speeders, but Sarge would be nearby. He then decided that this was silly. What was he going to tell them, that there was a ghost in his home?

He tried to shake it off and go to sleep. But the uneasy feeling didn't go away; it grew stronger. Now he had the strange feeling that he was being watched. And that the watcher was right in the room with him...

Stop it. He tried to get a hold of himself. He was getting worked up over nothing. He had to relax or he'd never get to sleep. He was going to open his eyes, and see nothing but his home, exactly as it should be.

He opened his eyes, and his terror quadrupled. He had accidentally brought some of the desert sand inside when he entered, and a light dusting of it was on the floor. Steadily, rhythmically, strange shapes were appearing in the dirt. He later learned that they were called footprints. They kept appearing, each one closer to him than the last. Almost as though an invisible creature were walking up to him.

He decided that he couldn't stay there. He had to get away. He had started to roll backwards, watching carefully behind him, when he felt a heavy blow on his hood. A large dent appeared in the center of his hood. Almost like someone had hit him with a hammer.

The world started to go dark, despite McQueen's panic. He was being attacked. He needed help. He tried to rev his engine, but his consciousness was quickly slipping away.

As he fell unconscious, he saw a circle made of light appear before him. He felt like he was being pushed from behind. He blacked out just as he went through the light.