Chapter Nineteen

Crushed

The workshop was filled with the thick smell of oil and the sound of clunks of metal against metal. Instinctively wrinkling his nose, Jeremy took a quick look around the workshop, taking in large, unshaven men working with wrenches and tall, lanky teenagers with greasy hair and acne. As far he could see, there was one woman, with her hat turned back and hair tied back into a ponytail. Crude posters hung in corners next to desks, while a radio playing heavy rock wrestled with all the other sounds.

"Hey, kid."

Jeremy turned to see a beefy man with stubble and the most impressive sideburns he had seen in his life.

"You planning on doing something or are you just lookin'?" The man glared down at Jeremy. "Cus' if you're just lookin', get the hell outta my workshop."

Blinking in surprise at the hostility, Jeremy fumbled some documents that he had put in his jacket. "I-I'm here to get my car."

The man glanced at the papers for a moment. "Huh. You like pink?"

Jeremy felt himself blushing despite himself. "It's my girlfriends."

"Don't be so nervous. I'm just kidding." The man's face grew into a smile. "We're all friendly 'round here, well, for the most part." Offering an oil stained hand, the man prompted Jeremy to shake it. "The name's Bill. Your beauty is just getting some tweaks here and there."

"...beauty?" Confused, Jeremy looked to Bill.

"Your car. Crikey, kid, you don't half know about cars, do ya? Your girlfriend getting you to do this? Where is she?"

"In hospital." Jeremy pursed his lips. "She's injured, and I'm getting the car out of my own will." Trying to keep the bite out from his tone, Jeremy failed miserable.

Bill chuckled, walking down towards one of the desks. "Touchy, touchy. I ain't gonna question then." He sat down, pulled a pen from a jar and started writing on some of the documents. "What's your name, kid?"

"Uh, Jeremy Edwards."

"Uh-huh." Bill continued to write before turning his head as a phone rang out. "One moment." Bill reached over, pulling the receiver to his ear. "You know who you're callin', so what do you need? Mm... 'kay. You mean the screw came loose? Ah, you were pulled over and had to pay a fine? That ain't gonna do. I'll get Roy to pay you back for that. He oughta have checked all the screws. Can I have some contact details? Thank you." Putting the receiver back down, Bill quickly scribbled on a scrap of paper and looked over to Jeremy. "Hey, kid, while I finish up these documents can you go get Roy? He's the one over there, pumping that tire?" Bill pointed to a man wearing a bandana.

Since he didn't like to decline much, Jeremy nodded and quickly made his way over to Roy. He licked his lips. "Uh... excuse me..." Jeremy said weakly, getting no response from Roy. "Excuse me!" Jeremy tried again, to no avail. On closer inspection he saw wires running from his ears. Evidently Roy was listening to music. Jeremy hesitantly waved his hand in front of Roy's face, and jumped backwards in surprise as Roy snapped his head towards Jeremy, showing blood-shot eyes.

"Whaddya want?" Roy growled.

"Oh, uh, he... Bill said that you should go to him."

"Go to him? What the hell are you talking 'bout?"

Extremely nervous, Jeremy started to bite his nails. "S-s-something about a loose screw?"

"Oh, damn..." Roy spat on the floor. He brushed past Jeremy without even a thank you, walking towards Bill. Jeremy followed behind, trying to stop himself from shaking. He wasn't used to being in such an atmosphere. In his nervousness, and Roy's irritation, both forget about the fact that the pump was still going.

The small cylinder which pumper air through a funnel was in the wheel of a car and was letting a quiet high-pitched noise off, a warning signal that the wheel was pumped to its extent.

"Yeah, what's this about a loose screw?" Roy asked as he walked up to Bill.

"Don't you act cool with me, Roy." Bill growled. "You were in charge of that car, and damnit you know to check the screws and bolts. You are getting on my nerves, Roy. You got a job and you gotta do it."

Roy was about to reply when a loud pop echoed around the room. Almost everyone jumped in surprise as the air pressure grew too much and the tire popper. One of the heavy pieces of rubber span through the air, hitting a hook next to the open garage door.

Roy gulped, turning back to his boss, who was all but fuming.

"You better not tell me that was the car you were working on." Bill stood up, towering over his employee.

"...it was..."

"And you let that tire burst? You know how much tires cost!" Bill pressed a stubby finger against Roy's chest. "Give me one good reason, one goddamn good reason that I shouldn't fire you right here and now!"

Once more, Roy was interrupted by the same car. The wheel bursting had dislodged the winch holding the car up, and the car dropped down, hitting the metal ramp with a clunk. The car rolled slightly down the ramp and started gathering speed due to the fact the whole workshop was at a slight tilt being built on a hill. Gaining speed, the car was headed straight for Roy, Bill and Jeremy.

"Ah-" Roy quickly stepped aside, his arm accidently hitting Jeremy. Jeremy being much smaller spun around and fell to his knees in surprise. Bill had already scarpered, and could only watch as the car headed for the young man. He could already see the scandal that his workshop would face if the kid died.

Jeremy himself could only stare as the car approached, his knees throbbing from hitting the stone floor. He suddenly registered that he was in danger, but at that point it was too late to move. Jeremy closed his eyes quickly, not wanting to see anything more. Instead of the heavy pressure to his chest he was expecting, something pulled on his shoulders. Opening his eyes, Jeremy found himself being quickly dragged back. However, his eyes widened when he realised that his whole body wouldn't make it. Opening his mouth, the tireless wheel ran straight over his foot. The metal rim acted like a knife, cutting straight through his shoe, sock, skin, muscle and bone.

A scream exited his mouth as intense pain filled his leg. Jeremy pulled his mangled foot towards him as the car smashed bonnet first into the desk and wall, knocking some plaster off the wall. Jeremy could barely register this before another pulse of pain coursed through his foot. He took a glance to his foot and instantly regretted it. Half-way down his foot was now a mess of blood and bone, barely hanging from a strand of muscle. Blood was pumping out at a surprising rate, creating a shiny crimson puddle.

Jeremy bit his lip, trying to hold back any more screams.

"Stay still." A voice said, and Jeremy watched as an older man came in front, kneeling down and looking at the wound.

Jake could only wince at the wound. It was bad. Very bad. He hadn't seen something like this for a good thirty year. Jake turned to Jeremy. "You can feel the pain, yes?"

In a break of his usually polite demeanour, Jeremy narrowed his eyes. "Of course I can feel the pain!" Jeremy quickly bit his lip again, which was also bleeding due to being bitten on.

"It's better if you feel the pain. It would be even worse if you couldn't feel it." Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The signal bar was completely down, but Jake knew that didn't matter. As long as there was a tower, he could dial 911. Dialling the numbers, Jake put the phone to his ear, but frowned almost straight after. "What?" He muttered. "There has to be a tower around here?" Standing up, Jake looked to Jeremy. "Stay there a moment. I just need to go outside to call 911. Something in here isn't working." Jake quickly paced towards the open garage door, frowning down at his phone. Something in the back of his mind was screaming that something wrong was happening, but Jake discarded the thought.

The heavy piece of rubber on the hook chose this moment to break, the hook ripping through the rubber. The rubber fell straight down, bouncing into the red button which would close the garage door before rebounding to the floor.

Another loud clunk was heard over the now quiet workshop, since all attention had turned to Jeremy and his injured foot. Jake looked up just in time to see the springs of the garage door fail, rusted over the years. The garage door plummeted down, smashing straight into the bridge of Jake's nose. His body was pushed down by the heavy metal door, bending at an awkward angle to the point his spine snapped in two. Jake was pushed straight down into the stone floor before the door stopped. Blood oozed from open fracture wounds, running down the floor.

Even Jeremy had forgotten his pain, and could only stare at the motionless face of Jake, whose eyes lifelessly stared into Jeremy's own. Still a relatively young man, Jeremy could only yell in fear, pain and shock as the eyes dug deep into his soul.

A/N:

Thanks to Gabe's-Girl-Forever and Bookreader2010 for your reviews, as always I appreciate 'em.

Read, review and be interested! I've breached 20,000 words (A while back, actually, I'm on 32,00 as of the moment). Next stop is the 40,000 mark. Almost halfway to reaching the unknown 100,000 mark!

'Till next time!