CAROL-SHORT STORY BY CHERYL V.

Cheryl Verbeke
4977 Meisner
East China Twp.,
Mi 48054
Email-cherbear1950
@yahoo.com
word count, 5, 684
CAROL
CHAPTER I
These two boys, Mike and Paul were on their way home from work. The two had odd jobs as they jus got out of high school, and wanted something to occupy their time besides watching television and playing sports. It happened, that on the way in Paul’s 65 Charger, that Mike jus happened to spot a very old car for sale on some guy’s lawn.
Mike said to Paul, “Let’s stop here. I jus fell in love with that 57 red Chevy. I jus love the way, those fins stick out the back of the car. They make the car seem so long and fancy-looking.”
Then, Paul said to Mike, a bit curious, “Okay, if you, really, want to stop, and see that car, I’ll allow you to look it over if it, really, means a lot to you. Although, I don’t see anything great about that car, myself. However, I realize that you have different interests in cars, than I do.”
As Mike drove him up onto the lawn where the car is setting, he got out of the car, and first, he inspected the outside of the car. As he is, Paul got out of his car, too, and looked at it, himself.
It’s not that he didn’t trust Mike, however as he spotted the sign on the car, he’s surprised because the price said three-hundred dollars. And as Paul, also, is looking around at the car, he noticed, that the oil is leaking, a muffler is hanging down on the car, and the back window is busted besides the upholstery being torn.
As Paul sat in the driver’s seat, trying to feel out the car, Mike said to him as leaned inside the window on the driver’s side, “Doesn’t look like the car is worth the sale price. I’ve noticed that too many things are wrong with it.”
However, Mike ignored him like he isn’t even there, and started talking to the car, “Hey, Carol, you, really, are one nice car. You even have red upholstery, and that color is my favorite color. I think that with a little fix up, that you are going to be one nice car to drive.”
However, Paul said to him as he sat down inside the car next to him, “Do you realize all that’s wrong with this car? It’s jus plain rusting out all over the place. Besides it, probably, doesn’t even start. I’ve jus raised the hood on this car, and the whole engine is, practically, rusted out. Also, one or two of the tires seems to be close to running out of air.”
Mike replied, “C’mon Paul. I’m good at fixing cars, and know it’ll take some work. However, I know that I’ll be able to get this car, back, almost, like new. I’ve got money saved up to pay for the repairs needed on this car. Also, I’ll have all the rust taken off this car, and get a new paint job done on it.”
Then, he tried to start up the car, but the car wouldn’t turn over, and not only that, but the car sounded like a bear growling, and in heat. All Paul heard as Mike kept trying to start the darn thing is that, now, it is sounding like a tiger, roaring like it’s desperate for food.
So, Paul said to him, “You’ve got to be kidding, that you want to buy this thing. It isn’t a car; it’s jus a rusty piece of nothing. Didn’t you notice, also, that this car has no tail lights, and, in the front, there’s, at least, one headlight missing? There’s no way, this car will get very far even if it does, finally, start. This darn thing needs to be overhauled, and a brand new engine put inside it.”
But Mike said to him like he’s desperate, “C’mon now, it’s an old car, and jus needs some fixing up. I love Carol, and this old car, this 57 Chevy, I feel, I, really, need in my life jus because it has been in my dreams, lately. Don’t act like I’m getting married to this car because it’s foolish to think that way.”
Jus as Mike is talking to him on how much he loves this car, Paul, suddenly, saw a car of the same color and make and year before his very eyes. He saw no broken back window; the whole inside of it looked brand new. And even the whole outside of the car, he saw as having a new paint job and lights on it along with a brand new expensive engine. Then, all of a sudden, he is seeing the car like it is, at the current time like he has been hallucinating about this car being brand new.
So, since, Paul couldn’t convince Mike anymore not to talk the owner, who jus walked out the front door of his farm house, he walked over to his car, and listened to Mike and the owner try to talk business.
The owner is a very old guy about eighty years old, and appeared like he’s sickly, and so, Paul realized why the guy was trying to sell this car of his, this piece of nothing. He is too old and sickly to drive the car anymore, so, he has to sell it. Also, he needs the money for his own health care.
So, after Mike walked up to him, standing on the lawn in front of his house, Mike said to the guy, “I want to buy that car on the lawn over there. However I, only, have enough money to put a down payment on it, about one-hundred dollars. I’ll promise you, that I’ll have the rest of the money by tomorrow night. I’m working for a high school in the area, and am getting paid, tomorrow. Also, have been taking a job here and there, fixing one of the neighbor’s cars which has been quite frequently in the last few months.”
“Okay, I’ll tell what I’ll do. I have to get rid of the car because I can’t drive anymore. Also, have a live-in-nurse at the farmhouse here; so, am under a lot of health care, considering I’m about eighty years old. And my doctor doesn’t want me driving because my eyes are pretty bad. So, I’ll lower the price to two hundred dollars.”
“Alright sir. I can get you the rest of the money by tomorrow. By the way, what’s your name, sir?”
“My name’s Mr. Leo Black. Can’t get around anymore because of my health. And my doctor doesn’t want me, driving that car over there. He’s told me, that my eyes are too bad. Also, my concentration, memory and focus are bad.”
“Can I drive the car to a shop, tomorrow, so, I can start fixing it up if I bring the rest of the money, and I owe you, tomorrow, and sir.”
“Yes, in fact, it’s a deal my son. Jus be sure you don’t forget to bring me the rest of the money, tomorrow. Because if you don’t, I’ll find somebody else to whom I can sell this baby.”
So, as the old guy started walking back inside the farmhouse, Mike, then, sporting a happy look on his distraught face because he has been overworking himself, sometimes, in fixing a 57 Cadillac for a neighbor, ran over to Paul. And he, still, is jus sitting inside his 67 yellow Charger. He has been waiting, at least, a half hour for Mike.
As he hopped back inside Paul’s car, Paul remarked to him, “What’s that in your hand? Is that a receipt, you’re holding?”
Mike replied, “It sure is. Mr. Leo Black jus sold me, that 57 red Chevy over on the lawn. I gave him, a down payment of a hundred dollars, and tomorrow, since, I get paid from my neighbor, that day, of four hundred dollars for fixing his car up, I’ll give the old man, Leo, the rest of his money, for Carol, then, tomorrow.”
At first, Paul thought, Mike is jus putting him on. However, it’s because he can’t believe, that Mike didn’t see all that oil on the lawn which has turned the lawn, a bluish color. Also, all that oil has ruined the lawn, and has, already, killed the grass in that area.
So, Paul is in deep thought, “That funky Mike wants to buy from that old man…Well; it’s leaking a lot of oil besides everything else, that’s wrong with it. The engine is, practically, rusted through. None of the windows are sturdy. All of the windows have one or more cracks in them.”
So, Paul wouldn’t say one more word to Mike, and jus drove the rest of the way over to an old house where Mike is renting out a room in that house for twenty dollars a week. It seemed quite cheap to Paul, however the lady, who owned that house, a widow of ten years, seems to be quite a nice and well-bred lady, every time, he happened to encounter her.
After dropping Mike off at that old house on Lawn Street which is down about a block from where he’s living on his own because he makes enough money, doing different jobs over at the high school to be well off enough to afford an apartment for one-hundred dollars, a month.
On the way home to his apartment, he thought to himself, “It’s good, lately, that I’ve, finally, landed that recreation job over at that park near the high school. Now, I can earn enough money to keep paying my rent on my apartment besides have some extra money for going to McDonalds or a movie, sometimes, with Mike. But if he, really, buys that car, he has his heart set on; don’t know how he’s going to afford either a drive-in movie or McDonalds for that matter.”
That night as Paul’s getting ready for bed, he’s having a vision of that car which Mike wants to buy. He has to sit down on his bed right before he can put his pajamas on. Actually, is seeing that same red car, all fixed up, and having so much energy of its’ own, that the headlights, actually, appear angry-looking to him like if they are its eyes. And it’s charging towards his bed, ready to run him over. Also, the darn thing can bend and move like if it’s alive.
Since, Paul is starting to shake a lot, he lay on his bed on his stomach, and jus put the pillows on his bed over his head as he, also, can hear the roar of the darn car. It’s turned into a tiger, and now, its colors are orange and white.
As he lay there, he’s in deep thought, “Oh my gosh. What is happening to me? It’s as if that darn car, that Mike wants to buy, is coming after me. It won’t let up on me either. It’s, as though, I’m being haunted by this darn car.”
But after he let out a big scream, there’s, suddenly, dead silence all around him. So, he, finally, fell asleep until the landlord came running over to his apartment, and banged on his door.
As he’s waking up, although, he thought, he had been asleep, but, really, isn’t asleep at all, he leaped out of his bed. As he did so, he walked over to the door, and upon peaking out the eye hole, saw it is the landlord at the door. So, as he opened the door, he’s surprised to see her.
He’s, still, scared inside, so, he has a wide-eyed look on his face, as the landlord said to him, “What in the world was all that racket? The resident who lives next door to you, jus complained to me, that she overheard some weird noise. Also, this man told me, that it sounded like it has been coming from your apartment. Now, all this noise has got to stop.”
So, he said to her, “I couldn’t help it. I have been trying to go to sleep. However, I had this nightmare of a car. It, actually, seemed like if it has been trying to get through the door to my apartment. I guess I’m being haunted by this darn car.”
She said to him, “And you appear to be, almost, ready to fall on the floor. Are you sure, you’re okay? Maybe, what you need is some help. I’ve never seen you like this before. And you’ve been living in this apartment for about a year now. You’re not having a reaction to any medication; you’re taking, are you?”
He responded to her, “No, I’m taking medication for my nerves, but I never had any reaction from it before. I’ve been taking it for awhile now.”
So, she said to him, a big puzzled, “You’d better have yourself some tea to calm yourself down. Maybe, I should take you right to emergency. You seem to be acting like you’re having a seizure.”
He said to her, “I’m trying to tell you, I jus had a nightmare. So, I’ll have some tea to stop myself from shaking.”
Then, she said to him, “Okay, do that, but if it doesn’t help, be sure to call an ambulance. Because you could be having seizures, and not be aware of it. And if I ever hear any residents in this apartment building, complain of you, making any weird noises, I’ll have to have you taken to a mental institution.”
Then, he said to her, “All right, I assure you, if these nightmares keep occurring, I’ll go see a psychiatrist about it. I might have what is referred to as Schizophrenia. I’ll make sure, that this doesn’t happen anymore.”
So, then, the landlord locked up her office for the night, and then, took off herself for home. She needed to get home and in bed for the night, herself, because she would be having another long work shift ahead of her, tomorrow.
The next morning after Paul woke up, and had some breakfast after hearing his alarm clock go off, the first time, that came upon his mind, is that he’s glad, the weekend is, finally, here. But, since, Mike doesn’t have a car of his own, yet, that’s in good condition for driving, as soon as he’s ready, he hopped into his Charger after making sure the apartment door is locked, securely.
On the way over to Mike’s apartment, he thought to himself, “What’s with Mike, lately? Can’t figure out he could have fallen in love with a piece of junk like that 57 Chevy. Ever since, he’s noticed that funky car on the old guy’s lawn, he’s hasn’t been acting like himself.”
As soon as he arrived over at Mike’s apartment, “what a way to start the day with all that rain which is coming down,” he’s thinking, “If that old man didn’t put that old car of his into the garage, last night, the darn car will, probably, be soaking wet. Not only that, but the car will, probably, be won’t be drivable from being so drenched from all this rain.”
He knocked on the door of Mike’s apartment, and before he realized it, his friend, literally, ran out the door, and landed in Paul’s arms. Paul is kind of shocked at first, but he jus stood there for a few minutes, trying to get a hold of himself. Then, as he and Mike were walking over to Paul’s Charger, Paul said to Mike.
“I can’t believe that you, really, want this junky car. I don’t know what you see in buying this car. Do you realize, that if you buy this car, that it is going to need a complete overhaul? That car is very old, and looks as if it never had any good work done on it.”
Mike said to him as the two got into Paul’s car, “What I’m going to do with that car, is take over a Dave’s garage on Duvall Street which isn’t far from here at all. In fact, it’s close to that old guy’s farmhouse which makes it convenient for me. I jus hope, that I don’t have any trouble, starting the car, this morning, because it has been raining all night long.”
Paul said to him, “Where are you, going to get the money to fix up that 57 Chevy after you buy it? It costs, at least, thirty dollars or so, a day, jus to rent a stall over at that garage. What are you going to do? Are you going to spend what time you have on your hands, to work on your car?”
Mike said to him, feeling very confident about that old car, “That 57 Chevy, Carol, which I’ve been having my eye on, lately, shouldn’t be that hard for me to fix up. I have all that know-how which I’ve developed from taking auto mechanics in school. Also, my dad, also, has been letting me, help him, fix his cars whenever he needs the help, and I’ve been working on my neighbor’s car, too.”
While they were on their way back over to that old guy’s house, Paul replied, “I don’t think, that you realized, jus how much work, it’s going to take to fix up that old car which you’ve had your eye on, lately. In fact, I don’t know where you’re going to get all that money to fix it up either. And for a good paint job, it must cost, at least, five-hundred dollars or so, being that the whole car is so old, that the whole thing, is, practically, rusted out. At a paint shop, guys don’t work for measly dollars, you know.”
As soon as they arrived at that old guys’ house, Paul pulled up his Charger on the grass. However, that 57 Chevy which Mike wanted to buy isn’t there where it, originally, has been. So, Mike jumped out of the car, and walked up to the front door of the farmhouse, hoping that the old guy could give him, a good excuse. It appeared to be, that he might have sold the car to someone else, and could have jinxed Mike into giving him a down payment on the car.
Jus after Mike knocked on the door of the farmhouse, the old guy appeared at the door in the same ragged-looking clothes, he had on yesterday. The same old jeans along with a red and green plaid flannel shirt on being that the morning is somewhat chilly, today. Also, he figured that this old man must have a corset on because he’s standing so straight, and not leaning over. And at his old age, usually, a person’s posture has seen its days.
So, the old guy said to Mike, “Oh, I see that you showed up, today to buy that old 57 Chevy of mine which I can’t drive anymore. Do you have all your money to pay me, this morning?”
Mike replied, “Yes, I do. Jus before my friend, Paul, picked me up, today, I walked over to the high school to pick up my paycheck. So, I have the money, I owe you right here in my pocket.”
As he dug into his pocket of his jeans, and pulled out his wallet, he, suddenly, realized, that he hadn’t tried out the car yet. So, while the old man is following him over to the car which is in the garage, Mike is hoping, that the car will start being it’s been so damp all night long.
As Mike and the old guy arrived at the garage, Paul jumped out of his Charger and ran over to the garage to see what’s going on. And jus now, the old guy opened up the garage, Mike and Paul are surprised to see the 57 Chevy in the garage.
So, in the meantime, the old guy jus stood there by the garage, as Mike crawled into the front seat, and jus sat there at steering wheel try to get the car to start. And he’s trying to keep starting the car, hoping it’ll turn over, Paul has jus crawled into the front seat next to him.
While Mike won’t seem to give up on getting the car to start, Paul starts feeling like he’s hearing the car, talk to him, “Boy, if I start for Mike, what are you going to think about me and him being in love? It’s going to turn out to be a strange love because I bet, neither of you have heard about a guy being in love with a car like he has been. In fact, soon, you are going to see me as the best car, you’ve ever seen in your life, and wish Mike never bought this car.”
Then, Paul, suddenly, heard the car start like if it’s screaming to get out of that garage, and get on the road. And at jus that time, it started up, Paul happens to have a vision of the car as if it was all fixed up, already.
And he thought, “The old man has spent all night, getting the car in shape.”
But Paul didn’t know that the car, still, is the same way like it had been yesterday when he and Mike were eying that car.
Being the car is running, now, Mike is pulling out of the garage as if the car, suddenly, is a brand new car. But jus before he did, Paul jumped out of the car because for some odd reason, he grew afraid of the car like it’s about to possess him or Mike.
However, since, Mike didn’t pay the old man, his money for the car yet, he stopped the car. Then, he got out of the car, and handed the old man, the one-hundred dollars, he owed him yet. And Paul jus couldn’t’ believe his eyes as the old man had a weird look on his face, and his eyes appeared to be evil-looking as he handed Mike, the receipt for the 57 Chevy.
So, Paul thought, “What is the real reason why Mike wants this old car, so bad? He’s been like this car is his whole life, and that he loves this car like an old love flame.”
At this point, Paul hopped out of his Charger, and looked around the car again. All the rust on the outside of the car appeared like it had been scraped off. However that is all that had been done on the 57 Chevy except that the gas tank has been filled and the oil changed on the car. But the car, still, looked in bad shape, so, Paul said to Mike as he hopped back into the 57 Chevy as he was leaning through the window on the driver’s side.
“I think, that you’re, completely, nuts for buying this car. You’ve been acting like this car is part of your family. And that if you didn’t buy this car, that you would have been one sad and deprived person. Also, you seem like you’ve been in crazy love with this car, ever since, you spotted it from the street.”
So, then, Mike tried starting the car, and he didn’t get the car to start.
However, Paul is in deep thought, “the car sounds jus like a cat in heat. But one more time at that ignition… Boy, that car is something else. It is acting like a bear after its prey. My, the whole car is shaking. I’m feeling in my guts. That car is being a real menace.”
Then, as Mike drove the car out of the garage, and made it onto the street, Paul followed him as Mike drove his 57 Chevy over to the garage, and then, into an empty stall. Since, Mike didn’t want to leave jus yet, Paul jus left him there amongst a crowd of guys who weren’t working at the time. They jus were over in a corner of one of the other empty stalls, having the time of their life. So, they must have been on a break because they’re drinking beer to Mike’s surprise as he started his work on his car.
Paul is on his way over to the high school to a job of his which he jus got, lately, being that the weather is getting warmer, and this means, that the kids are out of school for the school year. And he’s going to have a full afternoon of taking care of these kids’ jus because their mothers love letting them play over at the school.
In the meantime, Mike is using some tool to get all the rust off of Carol while he’s eyeing these guys in his stall, smoking away, and drinking their beer. As Mike is working on his 57 Chevy, his dear Carol, he’s thinking, “How do all these parents find the time to watch their kids play over at the school, all afternoon, where Paul is watching them, making sure, that none of them get hurt in the long run in looking after their safety?”
As Paul is jus sitting on a white, plastic chair watching these kids play on the bars and all the other stuff like the swings, he, suddenly, is having this vision of the 57 Chevy, of which Mike is a proud owner. In this vision, he’s seeing the car without Mike inside of it, and it’s speeding down the street over to the school. And as it’s arriving at the school, suddenly, it’s racing into the school over to where he’s sitting and trying to relax.
But, all of a sudden, he’s finding himself, screaming and withering all over the place. He’s jus fallen out of his chair, and is shaking like a leaf on the lawn which brought one of the nursery people, running out of the school and over to where Paul is lying on the lawn, still, shaking.
So, upon seeing him on the lawn, she, immediately, called an ambulance over her cell phone. Then, she had to watch all the kids there until the ambulance pulled into the school parking lot along with the rescue squad. Since, the woman didn’t know what to do in this case, she shouted out to a mother, getting ready to take her kids back home with her.
“Hey, come on over here.--Paul, who, usually, watches the kids during the afternoon, has, apparently, had a seizure, and can’t move right now. -- He appears like he’s in a daze, so, please watch the other kids for me.”
As the mother ran over to her, she couldn’t believe her eyes. And either could one of the women from the nursery being that Paul never has had a seizure before while at work. So, jus then, as the woman from the nursery is trying to watch Paul, and is giving him, some green tea to relax his muscles, the ambulance and fire squad pulled up.
One of the paramedics placed an IV into his arm as the other one, administered some 400 milligrams of Dilantin and Ativan which seemed to stop Paul from having another seizure. So, then, he’s alright, but since, the woman from the nursery found a number and a name of his friend, Mike, in his wallet, she called over at the garage.
And upon the guy, who runs the garage, answering the phone, he said to the woman, “Hello, who is this?”
The woman replied to the guy, “I need to speak with Mike right away. Is he, still, there at the garage, and if he is, bring him to the phone right away. His friend, Paul, jus has gone through a seizure, apparently, caused by mental stress because he was screaming when he had the seizure. So, if he can, get Mike over here at the school right away if his 57 Chevy is in good enough condition to get over here.”
So, then, the owner of the garage didn’t bring Mike to the phone. He, simply, went over to Mike, and said to him, “Your friend, Paul, isn’t in good condition. He had a seizure, and needs to be taken to mental ward. Please meet the woman in the yard over at the school. She’ll be there along with the paramedics.”
Mike didn’t know what to say, so, he dropped what he’s doing, and drove his beloved Carol, 57 Chevy, over to the school, after it started while sounding like a bear after its prey. And as soon as he arrived over at the school, he didn’t want to take any chance in following the woman over to the mental ward. So, he jus left his 57 Chevy over at the school, and the woman drove Paul’s Charger with Mike and Paul in the back seat of it over the mental ward.
And as they arrived there at the mental institution, a doctor heard the woman, pull up the Charger in the parking lot because the car had a loud roar to it in being a type of race car. So, he came running out into the parking lot with another doctor as they wheeled a gurney over to the Charger. Jus after they set Paul on the gurney, it got wheeled back into the mental institution.
Paul, still, in his daze, is in deep thought, “What’s going on with me? Everyone seems to be saying that I had a seizure. But never had one before in my life. And here I am in a mental institution. I can see what that darn car of Mike’s that 57 Chevy is doing to me. It’s making me, go crazy.”
And since, the woman had to sign some papers, and also, Mike; too, about consent for Paul to have treatment over at the place, as soon as both signed the papers, Paul got admitted into the place. Once, one of the doctors got him into a room, he had to be strapped down, and given some more Dilantin and Ativan along with a very potent Haldol shot which knocked Paul out right away.
So, then, the woman drove Mike back to the school to get his car, and since, Mike didn’t know if the car would make it back home, again, the woman had to follow him in Paul’s charger because Mike’s car is being left there for now. But Mike and the woman don’t know it, but Mike’s 57 Chevy is alive like the Knight Rider from the series along with being able to talk.
Mike jus happened to be so proud of his 57 Chevy that he’s in deep thought, “So, it’s out in the street. Oh no, what’s my Carol doing?” Jus now, he looks out the back window and thinks, he’s having a dream of his Carol.
This 57 Chevy has tracked the Charger down, it’s following both Mike and the woman, thinking that it can plow them down. Carol is steaming, and is out to kill Mike, and wants him dead.
So, every time, Mike has been working on his car, he wasn’t aware of his 57 Chevy becoming more life-like and turning into a Knight Rider version of a car.
Once, the woman pulled into the school driveway, she, herself, saw Mike’s car as being so shiny, that it’s blinding her. And, although, Mike hasn’t finished working on his car yet, to both him and the woman, it appears to be brand new.
But only Mike’s aware, that his car is in so much love with him, that it doesn’t want to leave him alone now, since, it hasn’t been able to hunt down Paul. All it could do to Paul is to put him in a mental ward from having a seizure due to him, having seen a vision of the 57 Chevy while inside the school yard.
Then, upon Mike getting inside his 57 Chevy which started like a bear again, the woman jus followed him again, and this time, she drove Paul’s Charger over to his place. And but as she got out of his Charger, Mike, no longer, is in sight, so, she thought to herself.
“I wonder where Mike and his 57 Chevy are at this time. I thought he used to be right in front of me as I pulled into this parking lot. I’m feeling like I’m being haunted inside, and don’t know why, I’m feeling this way.”
So, she walked back to the school to get her car, since, it’s in within walk able distance. As she arrived there, Mike’s car is there in the parking lot. However Mike doesn’t seem to be in the car and its headlights are glaring over at her. So, she, immediately, got into her car very fast, and drove for home. And on the way, the 57 Chevy jus has pulled out of the school driveway, and is fierce as a tiger, following her all the way home.
And as she pulled into her driveway, she looked through the rear view, only, to see the 57 Chevy in her driveway, still, without Mike inside it. And as she got out of her car, she screamed, and then, the 57 Chevy, actually, ran her over. After it did, it raced out of the driveway, and then, over to the garage. However, Mike is nowhere to be seen. He, somehow, got run over by his 57 Chevy, too, and is in another world.
In the meanwhile, Paul is sleeping in his bed when, suddenly, the car raced over to the mental ward, and then, through the whole mental institution. And not only is Paul dead, but everyone including the doctors have been killed, and the car is yelling out, “Wow, didn’t know I was so powerful. Here all these people are dead. So, I’ve accomplished my mission which I started when Paul started having nightmares and then, his seizures.”