Inferno and others

Inferno

The fiery sub slowly dipped below the crimson horizon. A seemingly fitting ending to a perfect day of clear cloudless blue skies. But fate had played a cruel joke and this picturesque sunset was like salt in new wounds.
Today I had lost my best friend. My only companion after my wife died. I called her inferno. A fiery hot name for a spit fire like her and her flaming red exterior. We went everywhere together – inseparable. She had a sensitive touch and responded only to my gentle coaxing. The turn of a key would make her purr like a satisfied kitten after a warm saucer of milk.  Her upholstery was ripped and worn from constant use by she hugged my posterior comfortably like a skinny jeans.
Driving on the seal gray road, I recounted a recent problem. The numerous multicolored buildings and the crisp air carried me over to that day. A morning just like this one.
One morning my baby refused to start. She turned over once and coughed like an old man with a nasty cold. But she was all better now. I fixed her.
Cars raced past Inferno and I, all in a hurry but the old girl and I moved steadily along. I didn’t want to push her too much but I knew she could give those newer models a run for their money.
We stopped at an intersection and waited for the light to change. Some young men cruised up next to us in a shiny blue sports cars.
“Trust fund babies”, I scoffed.
“Ha, look at this old man and red bunch of scrap metal”, they mocked.
Swallowing the shame was like swallowing a burning ember.  My face heated up.
As soon as the light changed I floored it. But Inferno shot forward and few feet and stopped with a jerking motion. I could have buried my head in the sand. The faces of the boys turned mockingly at me, as Inferno refused to start.
“Were we ever going to cruise under the blue sky with fresh breeze streaming on our faces?” I wondered.
Behind me the annoyance of my fellow motorists were displayed with their incessant honking and many flashed me the middle and mouthed harsh words as they drove past.
By my grief and embarrassment was like a shield blocking their fiery darts.
Shaking I hopped out of inferno and lifted her hood. I was greeted with an ominous curling black smoke that assaulted all my senses. If assaulting my senses were a crime she would be facing murder. I tried to fix her but no matter what I did she won’t start.
A car pulled up next to me and two young ladies disembarked. Hey helped me push Inferno to the corner of the road. I couldn’t thank them enough. Now I am sitting in Inferno waiting for the tow to arrive. I hoped to myself that she could be fixed.