Wish's Folly

Chapter Eight: Winning Where it Counts

It took several minutes for Liv to get her thoughts in order. When she finally had some semblance of sanity back, she dared to open the garage door. The lights were gone... But so was Lightning. The rest of the town was still staring in shock at the roadway,- and Liv could see one reporter- a blue-green car- talking to the Doc. Everything froze. One reporter, sure she could deal with that... An entire barrage of them? Not so much.

She sped over, clashing against the nearest building wall and high-tailing it up. She didn't stop until she was over the lip. The ticking resumed then, allowing her to hear the conversation below ages better.

"-oc Hudson?"

"... Yes, I am.."

"Thanks for the call." Liv was glued to the car as they drove off.. Before hopping down from the roof. She couldn't believe it. Doc... Doc had called the camera folk? Why??

".... You called them?" She did her best to keep the pain out of her voice. Why had he called them?- Was it to find Lightning? To get her captured? To make them both leave?-

"It was for the good of the town, Liv..." The others were beginning to disperse, softly moving towards their homes. Several gave Doc glares, from light to downright venomous. Liv took a step back.

".. That was not for the good of the- why would you- Doc, that- he was helping!" She gestured to the town.

".... I never... Even got to say goodbye..." Mater sulked by, on his way to his junkyard. The neon lights began to go out, one after another. Liv was glaring at Doc, although he was glaring right back. No.

"Why on Earth would you send him away?- He was making everyone happy again!"

"We've been happy!" Doc growled. "And we don't need that race car to be happy!" He revved his engine a little. A warning that Liv promptly ignored. She let her eyes wander over the town just as the last light went out. Dark... Save the flicker of a yellow light just outside Flo's gas station.

"... Does this town look 'happy' to you?" Liv gestured to the street. Dark. Dismal. Nothing but the singular blinking light outside of Flo's station. Every single shop was closed, and even the small lightning bugs seemed to have left. If anything, the place looked even more desolate than when Lightning had arrived.

Liv left Doc there, deciding she may as well try to console Mater. Heavens could only guess how hard Lightning's absence was affecting the tow truck. She paused just at the edge of his junk yard. One foot was in, one foot was out.

What was she even going to say? Every sentence that crossed her mind didn't fit, not entirely. They were all disjointed, caught in a realm of questioning what precisely had happened... Well, they had held McQueen against his will.. Initially... And no one had come looking... Now that she thought about it, Lightning had mentioned a racing circuit- the 'Piston Cup'... Which meant that he was probably at least semi-known...

... No one had known where he was, had they? Doc had called his folks and they came and got him... Whisking him away once more to stardom. Her thoughts fell apart when she heard a sob. Mater was crying. She stepped into the junk yard. Mater would be in his shack, of that she was certain. Liv made her way between the piles of junk, made into miniature hills and mountains that rose tall above her.

She kept her steps as quiet as she could, but dirt was not the best for sneaking. Liv was soon enough upon Mater's shack. It was hobbled together, made from planks of wood that were haphazardly nailed to one another. The same could be said of the roof, and a tarp was nearby for when it rained. Mater was currently balling, eyes closed tight as tears fell from his eyes (one part of the cars' anatomy she could never quite figure out).