***
The mist licked Percival’s chassis, long tendrils wrapping around the engine and uncoiling away to be immediately replaced by others. The fog lights barely cut the dense mass. Al concentrated on following Gruff, his tail lights frequently swept away by the mists. She gripped the steering wheel tightly. The radio was off so all her senses could focus on the road and not smashing into anything. Or anyone.
Molly sat quietly beside her. Even the chatty woman was silenced by the tension. She pulled her coat more tightly and Al realized she was also getting chilly. The day was cooling down quickly. She turned the heat on and, in the second it took to reach the controls, almost slammed right into Gruff. She slammed on the brakes instead and skidded to a stop. The tow truck resumed slowly. Al barely saw the traffic light overhead that had prompted the stop. Good thing Gruff had spotted it. Then again, when you’re the only one spotting something, chances of being smacked into are still fairly high.
“This is fun,” Molly mumbled from the passenger seat.
Al grinned. “Well, now we know why so many cars need help this morning!”
“Smackdown on the roadside,” Molly said, though her usual laughter was strained.
Al tried to think of something light to say but came up blank, too focused on tracking Gruff and keeping a healthy distance from him at the same time.
“We should be almost at the first site,” Al said. She couldn’t see the road signs very clearly, but hers was a small town and she knew the layout by heart.
“Great. Now I can...” Molly never finished. The tow truck in front of them suddenly spun sideways and around, the sounds of shattering windows and bent metal echoing across the street. Al had barely registered the smash before she stopped Percival and leapt out.
Molly scrambled behind her.
“Careful, there might be another car!” Al cried out as she reached the cabin of the tow truck. Its passenger side was badly dented, and Gruff looked about as dented. The airbags hadn’t deployed from the side collision, and the left side of his face was covered in blood.
“Gruff, are you okay?” Al asked as she threw the door open.
“I’m fine,” Gruff insisted, waving her away.
“Gruff, stop being a stubborn ass and let me look you over. How do you feel?”
“Fine. Bit of a headache, but nothing bad.”
“If that was me there, you’d be calling an ambulance.”
He gave her a slight grin. “Boss’ choice. Go check on the other driver. I’m probably bigger than them, and they probably took this head on.”
Al nodded and jumped off the truck. “Molly, can you stay with him?” Molly nodded, looking determined. Al was grateful for Gruff’s insistence that all of his staff have first aid training.
Molly leaned in to chat with Gruff, to keep him talking and awake as she checked his head and neck.
Al peered through the mist but couldn’t see another car. She walked toward the curb, where the collision’s trajectory might have sent it, but nothing was there. It wasn’t likely that it would have gone anywhere. Looked like it had t-boned the tow truck, so that should have stopped it in its tracks.
She skirted along the back of the truck. Its right side panel was dented in, but at first glance it seemed repairable. They wouldn’t be towing anyone back to the shop today. The pavement beside the truck was the bigger mystery. It was dented in and broken, like something heavy had smashed it. Or a sink hole, maybe? Still, it wouldn’t have damaged the truck like that.
Al finished her 360 of the truck and joined Molly and Gruff. Gruff was still sitting and Molly had him going on about old cars. He stopped when he spotted Al.
“Is the other driver okay?” He asked, concerned.
Al shook her head. “I honestly don’t know. I couldn’t find the other car.”
“That car hit hard. I doubt they got far.”
“Couldn’t see a thing, Gruff. And couldn’t even tell what type of car it was. A freaking tank, because they didn’t leave behind any of their chassis when they smashed the truck!”
“Or a good old car with armour like iron,” Molly mumbled, pulling her coat tighter. It was getting chillier. Their breath added to the mist and condensation formed on every surface, including themselves.
“Didn’t even see them coming,” Gruff said as Al and Molly helped him out. “Just hit me out of nowhere.”
“Well, the mist isn’t helping anything. Let’s get you to the clinic for a checkup and head back to the shop. We’ll have to make do and help the cars that make it in. Can’t risk moving the truck now — who knows what damage was done.”
“Ah, old reliable here would still get us home.” Gruff said, still uneasy on his feet but trying to hide it. Al grabbed his arm to help support him and he didn’t protest. That worried her.
They reached Percival and she was helping Gruff into the passenger seat when the first scream sounded. It echoed down the street, as though born from the fog itself.
“What the...” Molly started saying before a second scream shattered the night, from the left. And another, from the right. A car alarm sounded. And another. A shop alarm went off.
Alva looked around frantically, not able to figure out what was happening, the fog blocking all sight but also distorting sounds and spreading them around like a coat of warm wax.
“Al, get in the car,” Gruff said calmly. She nodded and moved around to the driver’s seat. Molly didn’t need any prodding, already having scooted in the back seat.
Al slammed the door shut and turned the motor on.
“What’s happening?” Al asked as she backed away from the truck. She hit something and slammed on the brakes. She went to open the door to check what she’d hit when the back of the car was pushed up. Someone started banging on the trunk. Al couldn’t see anything through her mirror, but the car kept jumping up, landing heavily on its wheels.
“Go, Al, Go!” Molly screamed from the back. Al stomped on the gas and skidded the tires, narrowly avoiding the back end of the pick-up truck as she raced down Main Street.
“Slow down, Al. Visibility ain’t good,” Gruff gently reproached from the passenger seat.
“What the hell was that?” Molly screamed from the back. Gruff reached around and put a big hand on her shoulder. She calmed down immediately, but Al could see her big eyes in the rearview mirror. It would have been funny if she hadn’t been terrified.
“Let’s get you to the hospital,” Al said as she slowed down a bit.
“No,” Gruff argued. “Back to the shop. Gotta check on the guys and find out what’s going on.”
“Are you kidding? You took a bad hit, Gruff. We’re getting you to the hospital.” Al glared at him. “Say no again and I’ll add to your injuries.”
Gruff looked at her darkly. “The shop is on the way to the hospital,” Molly piped up from the back. “How about we swing by there first and then head to the hospital? Let’s at least make sure everyone knows we’re not answering any more calls.”
Al and Gruff both nodded. At least it was still early morning and every shop was still closed. Distant car alarms still pounded the mists.
She was just about to turn off Main Street when glass rained down on them. Al hit the brakes. Shop alarms went off all around them. Through the fog, Al could see a couple of shops, their windows shattered. She activated her windshield wipers to clear away the glass and pressed on the gas, praying her tires wouldn’t be pierced by the carpet of glass crunching under them.
“Maybe go a bit faster now,” Gruff said softly beside her.
She nodded and pressed down on the gas. If her tires burst, they’d still get her to the shop and she could swap them out there.
If they made it to the shop.