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Chapter Text

The Ghostly Maiden:

An older blue Honda Civic was sound asleep, in his pop-up tent in the middle of the woods, when a storm rolled in. The wind rattled the frame of the shelter, as rain drops pelted the fabric. It was evening.

He woke up, groaning.

“ Huh,” the car grunted. “ What's that?”

There was thunder and lightning above. The Civic sighed. It began pouring harder. The thunder roared louder as the lightning flashed brighter. He groggily watched through the plastic window. The storm began letting up and rolling out a few minutes later. 

It was serene, again. The older car used this as an opportunity to go to the bathroom. He slipped out of the tent and drove toward the trees. The woods were dark with glowing eyes, which were staring at him from every direction. They followed his movements. An owl hooted. The blue car sniffed at them. He approached a drip pan with a cover on it. Relieved, the Civic pulled off the cover then parked over it.

“ Oh, yeah,” the older car moaned as he released the dirty fluid.

A woman's voice came drifting into his door-handles moments later. She was singing a soft melody. He looked around, trying to place her location. The owner of the voice continued humming. Her rhythm was repetitious and perfectly in tune.

“ Hello,” the Civil called out. “ Is anyone there?!”

The woman kept singing. He put the lid back on the drip pan then headed further into the woods.

“ Do you need help,” the blue car offered as he scanned the area. “ My camp isn’t too far away! My name is Steve!”

All he heard back was her siren-like voice. Steve kept driving. He braked when he heard a child giggle. The Civic whipped around, eyes wide. Nothing was there. He heard the woman, again. Her alluring voice beckoned him further.

“ Are you hurt,” Steve questioned as he climbed over a tree root. “ Does your kid need anything?!”

The owner of the voice appeared in front of him. She was a white Porsche with sapphire blue eyes. Her entire form, however, was transparent. Next to her was a younger Porsche with silver paint and bright green eyes. His form was also see-through.

Steve gasped as he backed away. The woman smiled at him. She soothed the man with her voice, once more. The blue car’s eyes glazed over. Her eery, but angelic song lured him closer to her, inch by inch. She wrapped her tires around his body and began caressing his hood. 

Her companion quietly observed. The ghostly maiden pulled forward, kissing the man on the grill. He embraced her form and returned the kiss, all while running a tire over her cab. The woman deepened the kiss and held it, until his body seized and collapsed onto the forest floor, lifeless.

She turned to her companion. They retreated back into the woods.

Two weeks had gone by since that fateful night. More campers came and went, unaware of what had unfolded nearby. The abandoned tent and the victim's body went undiscovered…

Chapter Text

Welcome to Camp Dinoco:

Until now…

Mr. Tex decided to buy a large plot of land, so he could turn it into a summer camp for the racers. Racecars eagerly dashed out of their trailers. They stretched their tires and grabbed their luggage. All 43 racers and their teams were invited to the grand opening. Everyone glanced around in awe. There was a massive lodge with a cafeteria, a spacious fire pit, log cabins with designated numbers, obstacle courses, a zip line, a climbing wall, hiking trails, a lake, an asphalt race track, and a helicopter pad.

The Cadillac drove out of the lodge with a huge grin on his face.

“ You made it,” he greeted. 

“ Well, it wasn’t like it was hard to find,” Strip uttered.

“ I saw it from three miles away,” Lightning commented.

“ Yeah, it's almost as big as McQueen's ego,” Chick turned to Junior. “ Am I right?”

Junior backed away from him. The other racers whispered.

“ So, when's breakfast,” Brick pressed his tires together. “ I'm starving.”

“ And do we get to choose our cabins,” Bobby adjusted a visor on his cab. “ I want the one closest to the lake.”

“ We'll get to that,” Mr. Tex assured. “ But first, we need to go over the campground rules.”

Everyone groaned, except for Strip, Doc, and Sheriff.

“ Rule 1: No wandering off the trails,” the CEO listed. “ If you get a cactus in your tire, that's on you. Rule 2: Your trash goes into the trash can and your recycling goes into the recycle bins. Let's keep it green and clean. Rule 3: No loud music after 10pm, unless I say so. We do have a couple of activities reserved. Rule 4: You are to sleep in your assigned cabin. Rule 5: Everybody cooks and cleans. Food, dishes, and cookware will be supplied. Rule 6: Illicit drugs and alcohol are forbidden. If you need to use them, please take them off the grounds. Rule 7: Have fun! And welcome to Camp Dinoco! Now, let's go get some grub!”

The group cheered and headed into the lodge. They entered the kitchen. Each racer made eggs, bacon, and pancakes for breakfast. Well, some did. Others tried, but wound up either burning or undercooking their food. Chick’s was professionally done. He was the first to enter the cafeteria and claim a table. Cal was second. His was presentable. Lightning was third with his runny eggs and slightly crispy bacon. The rest followed suit. 

“ Hey, Chick, have you ever thought about becoming a chef,” Cal asked, while nibbling on his pancake.

“ I wanted to, but couldn’t afford the tuition,” the htB car replied. “ So, I only cook for me.”

“ But you can afford it now,” Lightning pointed out.

“ I know, but I make more money racing,” Chick spoke between bites.

Brick poked at the burnt bacon on his plate. It crumbled into ash. Bobby scarfed down his undercooked eggs. His face turned green. He made a mad dash to the nearest restroom.

“ I warned you, Swift,” the htB car hollered then turned back to his plate.

Tex gave everyone their room keys as they headed back outside. They drove toward the log cabins, which slept a maximum of four cars each. Junior went into Cabin #3, Meeker entered Cabin #9, Gordon entered Cabin #5, and so on. Lightning was the last of his peers to get a cabin, followed by Cal. They read their room keys. Both were assigned Cabin #6.

“ So, who do you think is rooming with us,” the Dinoco racer questioned.

“ Only one way to find out,” the Rust-eze car grabbed the knob.

They entered the cabin. In front of them was Chick and Brick. The two green cars were laughing it up. Lightning pulled up to an empty bunk bed. He began unpacking. Cal tapped him on the fender. The red car turned to him.

“ Mind taking the top bunk,” his friend requested. “ I always fall off and break something.”

“ Sure,” the Rust-eze car complied.

He moved his stuff, so Cal could get through. The petty blue racer sprawled out on his temporary bed, which was next to a window. Cal opened it and looked outside. Racers were already leaving their cabins and exploring the campgrounds. A few of them headed toward the trails.

Bobby drove out of Cabin #9 with an annoyed expression on his face. The cabin was close to the lake. He just wasn’t too crazy about his room-mates. They were the slowest ones on the track. Also, Meeker and the others didn’t share his interests. All they wanted to do was talk about bugs, plants, and the environment. These topics bored him.

Lightning pulled a guitar out of a carrying-case. He set it to the side.

“ You brought a $2000 guitar to camp,” Brick was taken aback.

“ I bring it on every camping trip,” the red car pulled out a framed photo of Sally. “ Also, it was $50 at the thrift store.”

“ Oh, this oughta be good,” Chick goaded. “ First, we get to deal with your racing. And now, we get to deal with your music.”

Lightning picked up the guitar, played a few notes, then put it back down.

“ Okay, I'm jealous,” the htB car admitted.

“ FIRST ACTIVITY,” Tex announced via the intercom. “ I REPEAT! FIRST ACTIVITY! MEET OVER BY THE ZIP LINE IN ONE HOUR!”

The group drove over to the area with the zip line. It was at least 50 feet up. They gawked.

“ We are gonna die,” Bobby squeaked under his breath.

“ Why you will be wearing these,” Strip appeared behind the purple racer, giving him a helmet.

He drove over to Cal. Doc passed Lightning one. 

“ Make sure it's nice and tight, Kiddo,” the Hornet insisted. “ You’re already scatterbrained enough.”

“ Hey,” Lightning protested.

The Rust-eze racer put the helmet on, buckling it. His mentor yanked on the straps until they were snug.

“ Ow,” Lightning yelped.

The Octane Gain racer parked off to the side. He politely rejected the headgear.

“ I'm going to stay down here,” Bobby earned a cluck from Brick.

“ Brick, thank-you for volunteering,” Tex chimed.

“ What,” Brick whipped around, eyes bugged. 

He looked at the steep ramp, which led up to a perch with a mini forklift. Everyone was staring at him. The Vitoline racer gulped.

“ Tell Sheena I love her,” he spoke.

Brick creeped up the ramp until he reached the perch. The mini forklift assisted him with the harness then gave him safety instructions. When she was done, she attached the green car to the zip line. The Vitoline racer drove over to the edge of the perch. He glanced down. His axles wobbled.

“ DON’T LOOK DOWN, BRICK,” Bobby shouted from the ground.

The green car backed away from the edge and into the tree. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then lurched forward. Brick's body went soaring down the zip line. He screamed like a little girl. The Vitoline racer disappeared into the forest.

“ Well, he's a gonner,” Bobby commented.

His friend boomeranged back moments later. He was cheering. A team of larger forklifts awaited with a ladder. They helped him down.

“ That was fun,” Brick beamed.

The rest of the group followed suit, except for a few. Most of the racers had a blast. Some of them puked. Bobby pointed and laughed from the sidelines. They each went a second time, before turning in their gear.

It was time for lunch. Everyone decided to make cheeseburgers and fries. They ate, cleaned up, then went back outside.

Lightning and his room-mates decided to head over to the lake. The Rust-eze car hid underneath the shade of a tree. Chick parked on a rock and basked in the sun. Brick pulled up to a tire swing and climbed into it. Cal dipped his front tires in the water, cooling off.

They soaked in the sounds of the birds, the wind, the rustling leaves, the ripples of the water, and the distant voices of the other racers. Brick began swinging and twisting. Lightning pulled out a jar of turtle wax. Chick dozed off. Cal glanced over at the red car.

“ Hey, you need help with that,” the Dinoco racer offered.

“ Uh…,” the Rust-eze racer pondered as he applied. “ Yeah…Can you get the top of my cab, please? I can’t reach it.”

Cal drove over to Lightning. He scooped up some goop and reached for the cab.

“ Wow, you burn easily,” the petty blue car noted the sunburns.

“ I know,” his friend sighed. “ Sometimes, I hate being a natural redhead.”

“ Try being green,” the Vitoline racecar piped. “ People thought I was diseased or something.”

“ At least you're not blue,” the Dinoco racer finished applying the wax. “ I'm just another face in the crowd.”

“ But you’re related to The King,” Brick hopped off the swing and landed on the grass.

“ Yeah, but people don’t actually see me,” Cal gestured to himself. “ Just my uncle.”

Lightning put the container away.

“ Now, that’s not true,” the red car soothed. “ We see you…You have your own fanbase…”

“ Are they my fans, though,” the petty blue car pressed.

“ Eh, it’s best not to question it,” the Vitoline racer suggested. “ Either way, you still get to race with us.”

“ But for how long,” Chick's sleepy voice cut-in. “ He is kind of a weak-link. Don't you think?”

“ I don’t know, Chick,” Brick defended. “ I have a hard time keeping up with him. Credit due is where credit is due.”

“ Was it really earned, though,” the htB racer continued. “ If I recall, the Dinoco sponsorship was supposed to go to McQueen. Weathers was an afterthought.”

“ I didn’t know that,” Cal turned to Lightning.

“ Oh, yeah,” the green car with ten million stickers taunted. “ Well, everybody else does.”

“ I didn’t know that, either,” the Vitoline racer also turned to the Rust-eze racer.

“ And here I thought you were all the best of buddies,” Chick’s voice was smooth and edgy. “ Well, I'm going to head back to the cabin. See you there.”

He drove away from the lake with a smug grin. The other three followed suit. 

“ That's not true,” Cal faced his friends. “ Is it?”

“ Please, tell us he's joking,” Brick urged.

“ It's true,” Lightning admitted. “ Mr. Tex extended the offer to me, first. I turned him down.”

“ But, why,” the Dinoco racer questioned.

“ I didn’t want it,” the Rust-eze racer replied. “ I thought I did, but all I really cared about was the fame and fortune.”

“ You say that like it's a bad thing,” the Vitoline racer scoffed.

“ Because it was,” the red car raised a windshield. 

Cal braked and turned to the forest. He squinted his eyes. Lightning flipped around, driving in reverse.

“ Cal,” he beckoned.

The others stopped and faced the Dinoco racer. Their friend drove closer to the trees. He slowly moved aside some branches. A flock of birds flew through them.

They entered the lodge. It was time for dinner. The racers cooked spaghetti and meatballs. There was sauce and noodles everywhere. Everyone ate, cleaned up, then went to bed, except for two.

Cal continued observing the woods from the window, while Lightning brushed his teeth. The Rust-eze racer parked next to his friend then spit out the window.

“ Whatcha looking at,” he asked.

“ I thought I saw something out there,” the Dinoco racer grabbed the photo. “ And they all looked like her.”

“ It’s probably just a family going for a hike,” Lightning shrugged. “ There are other camp sites nearby.”

“ I don’t think so,” Cal shook his hood. “ They were translucent.”

“ And so is Sally,” the red racer snagged the photo, setting it back down. “ It's all in the paint. Look. Why don’t we both get some sleep, huh?”

“ Yeah, I suppose,” Cal nestled under the blankets, while his friend climbed into the bunk above.

Chapter Text

The Rock Wall:

“ EMERGENCY,” Tex yelled into the intercom. “ EMERGENCY, EVERYONE! MEET OVER BY THE FIREPIT IMMEDIATELY!”

Everyone whispered to each other as they gathered around the pit. Junior parked next to Sheriff. He was in the middle of the circle. Sheriff pulled forward. The crowd was getting restless. Doc honked his horn. They all quieted down.

“ Okay,” the Mercedes steadied himself as he glanced around the pit. “ Has anyone seen Sean, Mark, or Felix?”

“ They all went for a hike in the woods,” Cal spoke. “ I saw them. That was yesterday.”

“ Well, they never returned to their cabin last night,” Sheriff informed.

The racers turned back to each other, talking.

“ That's horrible,” one of them said.

“ Rookies can be so dumb,” another commented.

“ Aren't the woods here, like, haunted,” a third shifted his eyes and gritted his teeth.

“ Come to think of it, they weren’t at the zip line,” Brick voiced.

“ Nor at dinner,” Bobby recalled.

The racers raised their voices, panicking.

“ Well, that settles it,” Sheriff puffed up. “ I'm going to gather a search party.”

He drove off to the lodge. Tex pulled forward. The racers quieted back down.

“ Now, this here is a gentle reminder,” the Cadillac emphasized. “ Please, stay on the trails. Do not wander off of them. And, if you get lost, stay where you're at. We can’t have anymore of you going missing.”

The meeting was dismissed. Everyone went to breakfast. They discussed theories about the missing racers, all while stuffing their faces with oatmeal.

Junior sat alone. He stared into his bowl. The Mountain Dew racer stirred the contents. 

“ So, where do you think they went,” Brick grabbed a glass of orange juice, taking a sip.

“ If they’re smart, shelter,” Cal typed something into his Motorola RAZR.

“ If they don’t get eaten by a bear, first,” Chick scooped some oatmeal into his spoon.

“ Or find a screaming banshee,” Lightning scanned the light blue car next to him.

“ What's a screaming banshee,” Bobby raised a windshield.

“ I don’t know,” the Rust-eze racer turned to him. “ Doc didn’t say.”

“ You think Junior might have something to do with this,” the htB car eyed the Mountain Dew racer.

The group followed his glare. Junior pushed his bowl away. He leaned on the table and gazed at a wall.

“ He is obviously riddled with guilt,” Chick turned back to the group. 

“ Let's not jump to conclusions,” Lightning dissuaded. “ Besides, he was the one who filed the report with Sheriff.”

“ He saved my aunt from choking on a hotdog, once,” Cal took a bite of his oatmeal. “ And he helped my uncle out on the farm during harvest season. The guy was also one of my babysitters.”

The Mountain Dew racer backed away from the lonely table. He drove passed them. Junior pulled a cigarette out of his glove box and headed outside.

“ What are you doing,” the Rust-eze racer peered over the Dinoco racer’s hood.

“ I'm trying to research translucent Porsches,” Cal let out a groan. “ But I can’t find anything on them. All I'm getting are Porsches with translucent paint…”

His eyes widened at the screen.

“ And other things,” the Dinoco racer quickly mashed the buttons. “ It's like they came out of nowhere.”

“ Those plain Janes,” Chick scoffed and rolled his eyes. “ Weathers, you can do so much better. No offense, McQueen.”

“ Hey,” Lightning was red in the face. “ You leave Sally out of this!”

“ Guess I'll have to investigate the old-fashioned way,” the Dinoco racer closed his phone. “ Who are they?”

“ You mean the weirdos from next door,” the Octane Gain racer’s face lit up. “ I tried asking one of them for their number, but all she did was stare at me. So, I gave her mine.”

The racers cleaned up and went onto the next activity. Today, they were climbing the rock wall. It towered above the trees and had lots of colorful rocks with different grips.

Lightning was the first in line. He effortlessly traversed the wall until he reached the top, but got tangled up going back down. Bobby was next in line. He bailed as soon as his tires were ten feet off the ground. Next was Brick. It took him a few minutes to find his footing.

Cal almost slipped halfway. He looked around. The tops of the trees, the lake, the mountains, the sky, the campground, and the search party were all visible. Other campgrounds were visible, too. One, however, was far away.

“ HEY, CAL,” Strip called. “ REMEMBER, THERE’S A LINE BEHIND YOU!”

Night-time arrived. Everyone ate dinner, showered, then went to their cabins. Lightning flopped onto his bed. He yawned.

“ What a day,” the Rust-eze racer mumbled.

Chick fell asleep over by the entrance. Brick pushed him out of the way, so he could close the door.

“ I wonder how the search party is doing,” Cal plugged his cellphone into its charger.

“ I'm sure they're hot on their trail,” the Vitoline racer uttered confidently.

Chapter Text

Cabin #3:

The search party left the woods at 11pm. They entered the lodge and gathered around a table. Tex approached them.

“ Anything,” he asked with a hopeful gleam in his eyes.

“ Nothing,” the Mercedes answered with a sigh. “ We'll go further out in the morning.”

“ This is terrible,” Tex sagged on his tires. “ I knew adding hiking trails was a bad idea.”

“ Now, don’t be blaming yourself, Tex,” Strip strode over. “ The hiking trails are great! There will always be those who don’t follow the rules.”

“ Or pack properly,” Doc was in a corner. “ None of those boys had any food, water, fuel, coolant, nor oil with them. And the next two days are supposed to be scorchers.”

The room fell silent.

“ I'm going to check the emergency supplies,” the Hornet declared. “ We're going to need them.”

He drove into a nearby nurse's office, which was hidden in the lodge.

“ I'm going back to the trails,” Sheriff backed away from the table. “ Make sure no more hotrodders go missing.”

He left the building. The rest of the search party followed suit. They turned in for the night. Strip drove over to one of the windows. He let out a sigh.

“ Cabin #3's lights are on,” the Superbird observed.

“ Isn’t that Junior's cabin,” Tex pulled up next to him.

He and the King observed Cabin #3. The lights stayed on. 

“ We should go check on him,” Strip ushered.

They made their way over to Junior’s cabin. Tex knocked on the door.

“ Junior,” the Cadillac raised his voice. “ It's me! Tex!”

There was no answer. He knocked, again.

“ Junior,” Tex called.

Strip opened the door. He gasped. The cabin had been vacated. Tex pulled out his walkie-talkie.

“ Longhorns to Desert Rat,” the Cadillac spoke into it. “ Another chicken flew the coop. Over.”

“ Another one,” Sheriff's voice sounded taken aback. “ I'll keep an eye out.”

There was a shrill scream in the background. It came from over by the cabins. Tex and Strip raced toward the sound. They entered a forest trail and continued driving, until they saw a flashing red light. 

The two got closer. It was coming from the Sheriff. He was aiding Junior, who had fallen into some bushes. Junior had multiple scratches all over his body, a twisted axle with an oil leak, and tire marks on his fenders. The Mountain Dew racer babbled and rocked on his tires.

“ Help me get him to Doc,” Sheriff ordered.

They picked him up and carried him to the lodge. The group entered the nurse’s office. Doc, who was carrying some supplies, raced over to them. He guided the group over to an examination table.

“ So, Junior,” Doc began treating the #8's wounds. “ Mind telling me how you got these?”

He gestured to the scratches. Junior tried speaking to him, but all that came out was gibberish.

“ Hey, easy,” the Hornet placed a gentle tire on the younger's fender. “ Easy. You're safe now.”

“ Goddamn soul-suckers,” the Mountain Dew racer wrapped his tires around himself, shivering.

“ Skeeters,” Sheriff raised a windshield.

“ You're saying skeeters did this to you,” Strip's eyes widened.

“ Not skeeters,” Junior shook his hood. “ There's something in the woods…I saw it…”

“ Okay,” Sheriff eyed him, contemplating. “ What did this something look like?”

The Mountain Dew racer went back to babbling and rocking on his tires. Tex, Strip, and Sheriff gawked at him.

“ Why don’t we hold off on questions until morning,” Doc suggested. 

Chapter Text

Giggles:

It was now after midnight. Sheriff was sound asleep over by his assigned post. Something giggled. He jolted awake and looked around. The Mercedes nodded back off. It giggled, again. Sheriff was alert now. He turned on his headlights.

“ Who's there,” the Mercedes demanded.

Sheriff scanned the area. The giggling continued. It sounded like it was coming from a child. He backed up a bit, shaking his hood. The forest went quiet. He pulled forward. The giggling came back. 

“ Come out where I can see you,” Sheriff ordered. 

The Mercedes ventured toward the sound until it went quiet. He stopped and turned around.

“ I'm hearing things,” Sheriff told himself.

He returned to his post. The giggling then echoed throughout the forest.

The Mercedes glanced in multiple directions. He steadied his tires. 

A bush rustled. Sheriff pointed his headlights at it. There was a small figure hidden beneath the trees. It took off running.

“ HEY,” Sheriff yelled. “ COME BACK HERE!”

He chased after it. The figure moved faster. Sheriff, however, continued to pursue. His exhaust began backfiring. The figure then disappeared into the thick of the woods. Its giggling faded.

Sheriff swore then looked around. In front of him was a weather-worn tent with dusty cookware and a broken lamp. He approached the tent. There were cobwebs inside of it.

Something approached him from behind. The Mercedes turned around. He let out a bloodcurdling scream.

Chapter Text

The Obstacle Course:

Wednesday morning arrived. The racers ate a hearty breakfast then headed on over to the obstacle course arena. They were split into groups based on their cabin number. Everyone started warming up, while looking at the course.

One part involved balancing over a pit of tar. Another involved climbing a rope and running to the finish-line. A third one involved racing between swinging objects. The fourth one involved jumping from one platform to another.

“ Okay,” the mini forklift from the other day announced. “ Here are the rules. This is a relay race. That means only one member of your team will be needed for each part of the course. Now, you're going to start with the rotating platforms, then you're going to fight each other with giant q-tips until your opponent falls into the tar pit below, then you're going to run through the swinging objects without getting hit, and then you're going to run to the rope. First team to cross the finish-line wins. Go!”

The teams rushed toward the course, splitting up. They hopped onto the first course. Lightning quickly made his way to the front of the pack. He passed the baton onto Brick. The teams made their way to the next course. Opponents were immediately slammed into the pit by Bobby, until they got their batons. Brick passed his tar-covered baton to Cal, who almost dropped it. He zipped between the obstacles. Cal passed the baton to Chick.

“ Eww,” Chick cringed then took off toward the rope, climbing it.

He crossed the finish-line. However, Cabin #7 won the race, followed by Cabin #1, and then Cabin #6. 

They headed off to lunch.

“ I would've had it,” Chick snarled to himself. “ If it weren’t for the baton being coated in tar.”

“ Hey, we still did pretty good,” Brick assured. “ We got 3rd Place.”

“ That's not good enough,” the htB car argued.

“ I had fun,” Cal commented.

“ If it weren’t a relay race, I would've gotten 1st Place for jumping,” Lightning uttered.

“ Yeah, about that,” Chick smirked. “ Are you sure you’re not part grasshopper, McQueen?”

The team laughed. They entered the kitchen, prepped their food, then went to the dining hall. Today, they were having meatball submarines.

The racers ate, cleaned up, then went about their day. Most retreated into their cabins. They were trying to avoid the heat. The rest, however, stayed in the lodge. Only one or two dared to venture out to the lake.

Lightning parked on one of the bunks. He began tuning his guitar. Brick slumped over by the portable fan in the middle of the floor. Chick played Solitaire at a nearby desk. Cal was over in a corner, reading a comic book.

“ Hey, Cal,” the Vitoline racer piped. “ What are you reading?”

“ Scooby-Doo,” the Dinoco racer glanced up. “ Why?”

“ Well, hand it over,” Brick made a grabbing motion. “ I'm trying to keep cool over here.”

“ Yeah, I don’t think so,” Cal went back to reading.  “ This is a Collector’s Edition. It's from 1970.”

“ Oh, come on,” the younger Green car begged. “ Please?”

“ Let the little kid have his baby book,” Chick finished his game.

“ Little kid,” the light blue car scoffed at the insult. “ At least I don’t start fights like some middle school queen-bee.”

“ So, he does have good comebacks,” the htB racer taunted.

The sound of a breaking guitar string cut through the tense air of the room. Lightning cursed. He grabbed another string. 

“ You and the old man are so much more alike than I thought,” Chick continued with a grin. “ And here I thought you had nothing in common.”

“ What is that supposed to mean,” Cal glared at him.

“ You know exactly what I mean,” the elder car sneered.

“  Soooooo,” Lightning interrupted. “ Who wants to visit Junior?”

He and the Dinoco racer headed back to the lodge.

“ Thanks, Lightning,” Cal breathed. “ Chick is such a tailpipe.”

“ Thankfully, we only have to put up with him for nine more days,” Lightning said. “ I still can’t believe he's rooming with us, though. What did Mr. Tex do? Draw everybody’s name out of a hat?”

They approached the lodge. Doc, Strip, and Tex were outside, talking to a couple of ambulances. Between the ambulances was a car on a gurney. The car had a white sheet over its body. It was coated in oil and transmission fluid.

Lightning decided to drive over to them. Cal followed. Bits and pieces of the conversation were now within earshot. It was something about a bear attack and an autopsy.

Doc grabbed the corner of the sheet. He lifted it then set it back down, sighing. The Hornet placed a tire on top of his hood. He turned away from the body, closing his eyes.

The ambulances began escorting the gurney out of the camp. One of the tires slipped out from underneath the sheet. It was a white-wall with a ‘50's-style hubcap button. Fluid dripped from the tire and onto the ground.

“ Doc, what's going on,” the Rust-eze racer approached the Hornet then gestured.“ Who was that?”

“ Sheriff, “ Doc stifled a sniffle then opened his now-watery eyes.“ He was killed, while out on patrol last night.”

“ WHAT,” Lightning shrieked then looked back at the gurney.

“ They think a bear did it,” Strip solemnly explained.

“ WHAT,” Cal yipped.

“ Better inform everyone,” Tex quietly slipped away.

“ I…need to go park,” the Hornet drove off.

He entered the lodge.

Chapter Text

The Lodge:

Everyone gathered inside the lodge.

“ Thank-you for your undivided attention,” the Cadillac was over by the door to the kitchen. “ Now, I'm glad to hear ya'll are liking the trails. Unfortunately, due to tragic events, I will be closing them all down until further notice.”

The racers started conversing amongst themselves.

“ That is all,” Tex ducked behind the door.

“ That is so lame,” Bobby complained. “ I was supposed to meet my new girlfriend in the woods tonight! I told her I would be there!”

“ What a bunch of BS,” Chick protested.

“ But driving through the woods calms me down,” Brick whimpered.

More racers began griping.

“ THAT’S NOT FAIR,” one of them screamed.

“ I'M GOING HOME,” another huffed.

“ WHY DO ROOKIES RUIN EVERYTHING,” a third cried.

Lightning glanced over at Doc. He was glumly staring off into space. Cal shook his hood. Strip raised a disapproving windshield.

“ It wasn’t the rookies,” the Rust-eze racer interrupted the crowd. “ My team lost a good sheriff, last night. He was killed in the line of duty, while trying to protect us.”

Everyone started speaking in panicked-tones. Junior hobbled out of the nurse’s office.

“ I was attacked by some lady and her friends,” the Mountain Dew racer spoke. “ They tried to suck the soul out of me! There are murderers in those woods!”

He gestured at the forest. The lodge was now filled with dozens of voices, yelling over one another. Doc backed up and escorted Junior back to the nurse’s office. Lightning, Cal, and Strip followed them.

“ What did they look like,” the Hornet asked the Mountain Dew racer.

“ They kinda looked like Porsches,” the #8 answered. “ And I saw them chowing down on Sean, Mark, and Felix…I tried to stop them, but…My only saving grace was my lighter. They didn’t like it very much.”

He pulled out his lighter and held it out.

“ So, Sheriff was killed by cannibals,” the Rust-eze racer paled and leaned against the wall. “ I think I’m going to be sick…”

“ I'm going to alert the authorities,” the Superbird exited the room.

“ I'm right behind you,” Doc rushed after him. “ Nobody kills my best friend and gets away with it!”

“ Hey, isn’t Bobby’s new girlfriend…,” Cal slowly turned to Lightning.

“ BOBBY,” the two racers screamed.

It was now early-evening. Bobby slammed the door to his cabin. He glared at his friends, who were parked on the porch.

“ Well, that’s two cars' opinions,” the Octane Gain racer growled.

“ Bobby, she’s dangerous, “ Lightning argued. “ She’ll eat you, literally!”

“ I don’t care,” the purple car protested. “ She’s hot!”

“ Bobby, what about your families,” Cal attempted to persuade. “ You have all of these girlfriends with kids on the way…”

“ I DON’T WANT TO HEAR IT,” Bobby roared.

“ At least let us come with you,” the Rust-eze racer urged.

“ Fine,” the purple car reluctantly agreed. “ Fine! You can come. But stay out of site and out of my way!”

Chapter Text

Into the Woods:

They entered the woods. The group drove down one of the trails.

“ So, where are we going,” Lightning looked around.

“ You'll see,” Bobby chimed.

Cal leaned toward Lightning. 

“ Did you remember Junior’s lighter,” the Dinoco racer whispered.  

Lightning held up the lighter.

“ Got it right here,” the Rust-eze racer waved it “ Okay. What do we know about these guys?”

“ They’re translucent Porsches, they’re harmless during the day, they are cannibals at night, and they hate lighters,” Cal listed. “ And if we make it out of this alive, I am going to the library, so I can find out what they are.”

They looked up at the sky. Tonight was a full moon. The group cut through some bushes and trees. All then ventured off the path.

There was singing off in the distance.

“ That's her,” Bobby beamed.

He continued leading the way. The forest became darker and thicker. It was getting almost impossible to squeeze passed the branches and the trunks. Lightning and Cal turned to each other. They followed until their friend told them to hide. The two chose to hide behind a couple of trees.

A translucent Porsche with white paint and amber eyes appeared. She approached Bobby, staring at him.

“ Hey, Babe,” the purple car greeted. “ What's up? Are you ready for our date?”

His girlfriend kept gazing at him.

“ So, what do you want to do,” Bobby leaned against a tree stump. “ We can go skinny-dipping, tell scary stories, go for a drive, sit around a campfire…”

The Porsche’s eyes widened at the last suggestion. She placed a tire on Bobby's fender and pulled forward.

“ Oh, you want to make-out,” Bobby giggled and blushed. “ Okay.”

His girlfriend sang to him. It was a soft and soothing melody.

“ Wow, your voice is beautiful, “ Bobby commented.

He wrapped his tires around her frame. His girlfriend continued singing, until Bobby kissed her and began groping one of her headlights. His girlfriend squealed then opened her mouth. The Octane Gain racer did the same. Their tongues then began fighting for dominance.

They pressed their bodies against each other. The purple car's eyes flew open with a snap. He placed his tires on the Porsche's fenders and began pulling away. His girlfriend tightened her grip and pushed him against a tree.

She started singing to him, once more. Bobby closed his eyes, trying to resist. The Porsche persisted, until his windshield opened. It glazed over.

He wiggled and twisted as his soul was ripped out of his body. The Porsche stopped when something hard whacked her on the back of the cab. Her victim fell to the ground. She observed her surroundings.

“ What were you thinking, “ Cal scolded in a hushed whisper.

“ I panicked,” Lightning snapped in an equally quiet whisper. “ The stupid thing wouldn’t lite. So, I did the first thing that came to mind.”

“ So, you threw it,” the Dinoco racer glared. “ Okay. I'll think of something.”

He scanned the area.

“ Hmmm,” Cal pondered.

The Porsche returned to Bobby, who was barely breathing. She continued stealing his soul.

Bobby moaned, until his body became stiff. He dropped back onto the ground like a bag of sand. His lifeless eyes now stared at the trees his friends were hidden behind.

The white Porsche left the scene. Another translucent Porsche took her place moments later. He was black with glowing red eyes. This one eyed Bobby’s corpse and licked his chops.

Chapter Text

The Black Porsche:

“ Cal, hurry,” Lightning alerted. 

The Dinoco racer’s gaze kept bouncing between twigs and rocks.

“ I'm trying,” Cal made a gesture. “ I could spark a fire, but the trees are too close. And…”

Bobby's body was being sniffed by the Porsche.

“ CAL,” the Rust-eze racer hollered.

“ Do you want me to burn down the forest with us in it,” the Dinoco racer snapped. “ Look…Go buy me some time. Throw some rocks, or something.”

“ That I can do,” Lightning dived into the bushes.

The red car picked up some sticks and stones.

“ HEY, UGLY,” he shouted at the red-eyed monster. 

The Porsche turned to the red car, baring his fangs. A rock hit him square in the face. He roared and charged at the Rust-eze racer. Lightning sped out of the way. He braked and waved a stick in the air.

“ THAT’S RIGHT,” the Rust-eze racer taunted. “ COME AND GET ME!”

Lightning threw himself into reverse. The red-eyed monster chased after him.

Cal muttered to himself. He pulled out his cellphone and opened it. The Dinoco racer browsed through a couple of apps, before selecting one. Lightning came his way. The Porsche followed.

“ YOOHOO,” Cal held his phone up in the air. “ OVER HERE!”

The black car turned to him. His red eyes widened. The screen displayed a flickering flame. He backed away. Lightning used this as an opportunity to sneak over to Bobby.

Cal drove toward the Porsche. The monster snarled then steadied his axles. He let out another roar and raised one of his tires.

The Porsche smacked the cellphone out of Cal's grip and onto the ground. It shattered. He turned to Lightning, who had Bobby's body hidden halfway behind some bushes.

Lightning looked up. His pupils shrank. He continued dragging his deceased friend. 

The monster glared at him. He doubled in size. Metal spikes grew out of his backside. His roar echoed throughout the forest.

“ RUN,” Cal screamed.

He made his way over to the Rust-eze racer. They picked up Bobby then took off running. The monster followed them.

Cal and Lightning sped up. They glanced behind them. The Porsche was right on their bumpers. He raised his tire once more, swatting at the racers. His eyes were locked on Bobby.

The monster's tire slammed into the Dinoco racer's cab. Cal lost his balance and dropped Bobby. Lightning stumbled over the sudden extra weight and plowed into the dirt.

He looked around. The Porsche swept up the Octane Gain racer and threw him up into the air. Both racers watched in horror as their friend’s metal frame and vital mechanical parts were ripped to shreds by the monster’s razor-sharp grill. Oil, transmission fluid, gasoline, and coolant splattered everywhere.

Lightning grabbed Cal by the axle and hastily pulled him away from the gory scene. They continued running. The forest started spreading out.

“ OVER THERE,” Lightning pointed to an abandoned tent.

They darted into the tent and zipped it up. They used this as an opportunity to catch their breath. There was another roar off in the near distance.

It was the Porsche. The monster drove passed the tent. He stopped to sniff the air. Lightning covered his mouth and tightened his grip on Cal's axle.

The Porsche approached the tent. He pressed his grill against the material. Lightning closed his eyes and began shaking. The red-eyed monster sniffed the entrance then around the rest of the tent. 

He left the area. Lightning partially opened the door. The Rust-eze car turned to the Dinoco car.

“ I think we're safe,” Lightning whispered to him.

Cal didn’t respond.

“ Cal,” the red racer uttered.

Lightning squinted his eyes. Next to him was a tire attached to an amputated axle, which was coated in body fluids. The Rust-eze car screamed and leaped away from it. He heaved, until he spewed the contents of his gas tank. 

Chapter Text

Severed:

Lightning hyperventilated as he stared at the severed axle. His face paled and his body began swaying. He fumbled with the zipper on the tent and tumbled back outside. The Rust-eze racer sunk on his tires and covered his windshield. He slowly breathed in and out, before letting out a sob.

“ Lightning,” a familiar voice called out.

It sounded strained and tired. He looked up. Tears were streaming down his face.

“ Lightning, is that you,” the voice grunted in pain. “ Gah!”

It belonged to the Dinoco racer.

“ Cal,” Lightning got up and looked around. “ Cal, where are you?!”

“ I'm stuck in a tree,” Cal's voice cracked. “ Whatever that thing was threw me up here!”

“ Can you get down,” the Rust-eze racer dried his windshield and followed his friend’s voice.

“ No,” the Dinoco racer replied. “ I think one of my axles is broken…I can't feel it…”

“ Oh, it's more than broken,” Lightning kept scanning the trees.

An owl stared directly at him. It hooted.

“ And how would you know,” Cal squeaked.

“ I…,” Lightning paused for a moment. “ Have it.”

“ Hey,” the Dinoco racer uttered. “ I see you! Up here!”

Lightning looked straight up. Cal was waving at him. One of the branches he was resting on made a cracking sound, before breaking off the trunk. The Dinoco racer came crashing down on top of the Rust-eze racer, before he could move. Branches fell everywhere.

The two climbed off of each other, groaning. They steadied themselves. Cal leaned on Lightning for support.

“ Let's get back to camp,” Lightning suggested.

The two friends made their way over to the tent, grabbed the severed axle, then headed back to Camp Dinoco. They approached the firepit, which was lit up and surrounded by a few other racers. Chick, Brick, and Reb were over by the cabins. They were speaking with Strip. Strip looked over at Lightning and Cal. His face was furious. The others did the same.

“ We are so dead,” the Dinoco racer said.

Strip marched over to them. His expression softened and his jaw dropped.

“ Where have you been,” the Superbird glanced at their injuries. “ What happened?!”

Lightning looked over at Cal. Cal stayed silent. He showed his uncle the axle. The elder car's eyes widened.

“ SWEET ANTIFREEZE,” Strip took him off of Lightning. 

They began making their way over to the lodge. The Rust-eze racer followed.

“ DOC,” Strip hollered as they entered the building. “ EMERGENCY!”

Doc came out of the nurse’s office. His eyes widened. He gasped. The Hornet rushed over to them.

“ WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED,” he shrieked.

Now that the two racers were in an area with better lighting, their injuries were more noticeable. Lightning had scratches, dents, a black eye, and a busted lip. Cal had scratches, dents, an amputated axle, a missing spoiler, and a bite mark on his backside. Both were covered in body fluids.

The Hornet hastily escorted them to the examination table in the nurse’s office. He treated the Dinoco racer first then moved onto Lightning.

“ Doc, I,” the Rust-eze racer spoke softly. “ We tried to…”

“ Not another word,” Doc raised his voice. 

Cal was resting on a bed. His axle was on a nearby table. It was wrapped up in a garbage bag.

“ Do you think the hospital will be able to reattach it,” the Dinoco racer asked.

“ Maybe,” the Hornet replied with a sigh. “ We'll see.”

“ Calvin Klein Weathers, what in Ford's name were you thinking,” Strip, who was parked next to Cal, scolded.

“ Well, what was I supposed to do,” Cal turned his uncle, glaring. “ Let him die?!”

“ You were supposed to tell one of us,” Strip stated sternly.

“ So,” the Dinoco racer shifted under the blankets. “ What did the authorities say?”

“ They said they'd look into it in the morning,” the Superbird leaned on the guardrail. “ Guess North Carolina Game and Fish is supposed to come out.”

“ Okay, Kiddo,” Doc uttered to Lightning. “ You're free to go, but come back after breakfast.”

“ I thought you said I was free to go,” the Rust-eze racer whined.

“ Yeah, to bed,” the Hornet replied. “ Goodnight, Hotrod.”

Lightning left the nurse’s office with a gloomy look on his face.

“ AND KEEP ICING THAT EYE,” Doc yelled.

“ I suppose I should check on the others,” Strip reversed. “ Be right back.”

The Superbird followed the Rust-eze racer. Doc turned to the young Dinoco car.

“ I’ll go get you something to drink,” he headed toward the kitchen.

Cal stared at the foot of the bed, sighing. Junior was asleep in a separate bed next to him. The Mountain Dew racer jerked, twisted, and turned.

Chapter Text

What Are They?:

“ I just don’t know what to do with that boy,” Strip was roasting a marshmallow on a stick. “ Lately, all he does is worry me.”

Tex was parked across from him. He was eating a packet of Graham crackers and drinking a bottle of whiskey. The two were gathered around the firepit. All of the racers were sent to their cabins.

“ He'll grow out of it,” the Cadillac assured. “ You did. Remember Yosemite?”

“ Don’t remind me,” the Superbird brought the marshmallow toward himself. “ I was drunk and stupid. Chick didn’t help.”

He blew on it.

“ Did somebody say my name,” the htB car arrogantly inquired.

He pulled up to the firepit and parked between the two older cars.

“ What are we talking about,” Chick plucked the marshmallow off of Strip's stick.

“ Yosemite,” Strip said with a sigh.

“ I remember that trip,” the green car popped the marshmallow into his mouth. “ That was…Almost thirty years ago?...It seems like it was only yesterday! Am I right?!...Just a little overdone, Old Man. It's supposed to be golden brown.”

“ I like ‘em burnt,” the Superbird commented.

“ What do you want, Chick,” the CEO maintained a straight face.

“ I heard about the Weathers kid,” Chick leaned toward Tex. “ If you ever need a backup…”

He raised his windshield up and down.

“ Chick, we've been over this,” Tex hardened his grip on the whiskey bottle. “ You will never be the face of Dinoco.”

There was giggling coming from nearby.

“ What’s so funny, Old Man,” the htB car turned to Strip.

“ It wasn’t me,” Strip grabbed another marshmallow.

“ Then who was it,” Chick squinted.

The giggling continued. A few Porsches appeared over by the cabins. They were children.

“ Hey,” Strip hollered. “ What are you kids doing?!”

“ I'll handle this,” Tex drove over to the children.

He smiled sweetly at them. The children stared up him.

“ This oughta be good,” Chick muttered to Strip.

“ It's awfully late and well passed your bedtime,” Tex spoke softly. “ Where's your Mommy?”

They ran passed the Cadillac, giggling. The children raced around the cabins. One of them stopped to look at Tex. He gave an innocent smile.

“ LOOK OUT,” someone shouted.

A guitar came swinging out of nowhere. It hit the child, sending him straight into the firepit. The child screeched and growled. His eyes glowed bright yellow. Metal spikes came out of his back. 

Tex, Strip, and Chick watched in terror as the child's body turned into ash and released the souls of a couple of mini vans. They looked over at the guitar-wielder. It was Lightning.

“ So,” Chick placed his tires together. “ Who wants a cold one, because WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!”

Lightning turned to the other children. They hissed at him. The Rust-eze racer tuned his guitar then began playing a soft melody. His target audience raised their windshields. He continued playing.

The children cried. Elder Porsches appeared from the shadows of the forest. They approached the campground. 

Lightning stopped playing. He froze. One of the strings on his guitar broke. Strip, Tex, and Chick were by his side. Their mouths were agape.

“ Sweet founder of the manufacturer,” the Superbird uttered in disbelief.

Tex glanced at the bottle of whiskey, before dumping its contents on the ground.

“ WHAT ARE THEY,” the htB racer screeched.

All of the white Porsches of the group began singing:

"Born of Carmish Ancestory. We fled from persecution in Germany. We are the Wendigos. Got stranded here in the woods. A witch offered us some goods. We are the Wendigos. We were cursed. It was the worst. We are the Wendigos. Cursed to eat the steel of those we hold near and dear. It has brought onto us lots of tears and fear. We are the Wendigos."

They concluded their introduction then used their siren songs to lure the remaining racers out of their cabins. Brick was the first to come outside. He had Cal's comic book with him.

“ So beautiful,” the Vitoline racer hummed in a trance-like state.

Chapter Text

Slumber Party:

It was midnight. The full moon was now in the middle of the sky. Cal snuggled up underneath the blankets, snoozing.

Junior started growling and snarling. The Dinoco racer stirred.

“ Junior, you're snoring,” Cal yawned, before turning away.

The Mountain Dew racer lurked over him. His roommate pulled a pillow over his face.

“ Don't even think about tickling me,” the Dinoco racer's muffled voice warned. “ I'm not in the mood.”

Junior drove away from him. Cal sighed and dozed back off. He heard a crunching sound. His eyes flew open. The Dinoco racer peered from behind the pillow.

The Mountain Dew racer was chewing on the severed axle. Cal went back to hiding his face. Junior's teeth broke through the metal. He continued gnawing on it.

Doc entered the room with a lantern.

“ Is everything alright in here,” the Hornet groggily asked. 

Junior turned to the elder car. Half of Cal's axle was hanging out of his mouth. The Mountain Dew racer growled. His blue eyes glowed.

He snapped the axle in half. Junior roared at Doc and slapped him across the hall. The lantern smashed beside him.

“ DOC,” Cal shouted.

He rolled onto the floor and crawled to the door. Junior lunged toward the elder car. Doc smacked the red car in the face with the lantern. The Mountain Dew racer cried, while pulling glass out of his eyes.

Doc made his way toward Cal, lifting him up. They made their way over to the kitchen. Junior glanced in their direction. He chased after them. 

The Hornet shoved Cal through the kitchen door. Junior pounced on Doc, attacking him. Doc kicked him off. The Mountain Dew racer persisted.

Cal limped away from the scene. He grabbed onto one of the counters, pulling himself up. In front of him was a block full of knives. The Dinoco racer reached for one.

Doc was thrown across the cafeteria. He rolled several times. The Hornet slammed into a nearby vending machine with Strip's face on it. Several cans of Dinoco-brand oil rolled onto the floor.

Junior approached his unconscious body. He sniffed Doc then made his way to the kitchen. The Mountain Dew racer rammed through the door.

Cal was hidden behind one of the counters. He tightly gripped the knife and let out a shaky breath. If he had a heart instead of an engine, it would be pounding. The Dinoco racer used its reflective surface to monitor Junior. 

His former babysitter surveyed the area. The Mountain Dew racer smelled the air. He turned to the counter.

The Dinoco racer scanned the kitchen for an exit. His eyes landed on a metal door. He checked on Junior. His back was turned.

Cal crawled over to the metal door. He opened and slid behind it. The Dinoco racer closed the door and turned around. He was inside of a freezer.

Chapter Text

Junior?:

Brick continued driving toward the Wendigos. Lightning, Chick, and Strip clinged onto him, their tires spinning in reverse. The Vitoline racer effortlessly dragged them. He dropped the comic book on the ground.

More racers came out of their cabins. Tex tried picking them up one-by-one and shoving them back inside. They climbed out of the windows and broke down the doors.

The racecars caught up with Brick, who was having his soul sucked out of his body. Chick pulled out in front of them, waving his tires. They drove passed him, staring straight ahead. Lightning tackled a couple of his peers. They pushed him off and kept going.

“ There's too many of them,” Strip looked around. “ Where's Tex?!”

There was a scream from up above. Tex was in a helicopter. A red Wendigo was hanging from the landing gear. It swiped at the Cadillac.

“ NO,” Tex yelled. “ NO! NO! NO!”

The helicopter fished-tailed above the racetrack. It spiraled downward and crash-landed. There was an explosion.

“ Was that Junior,” Chick gawked.

“ Uh-huh,” Lightning’s voice shook.

“ CAL,” Strip ran toward the lodge.

The racers all lined up with the white Wendigos, allowing their souls to be devoured. They started dropping like flies. Lightning and Chick took this as their cue to follow the Superbird. There was nothing more they could do…Or was there?

Chick braked and looked back. The Rust-eze car spun around.

“ What,” Lightning raised a windshield.

“ Do me a favor, McQueen,” the htB car pulled out a cooking torch, lighting it. “ Tell the old man to remember Yosemite. Also, tell his boy…His racing still stinks!”

He charged toward the Wendigos, screaming.

“ CHICK, NO,” the Rust-eze racer reached out, shrieking.

Chick managed to burn several Wendigos, before one of the black ones got ahold of him. He was crushed instantly. The burned Wendigos began the process of self-healing.

Lightning scrambled after Strip, who was already inside.

“ CAL,” he heard the Superbird call. “ CAL!”

Doc pushed himself up, regaining consciousness. The Hornet rubbed his cab with a tire.

“ Ooooh,” he groaned. “ My aching everything.”

“ DOC,” Lightning rushed over to him.

He slipped on one of the oil cans and slammed into the vending machine. 

“ Ow,” he grunted then steadied himself. “ Doc are you alright?! What happened?!”

“ Junior happened,” Doc hissed then began limping toward his protégé. “ And he really did a number on me.”

He lost his balance. Lightning caught him. The two made their way to the nurse’s office.

Chapter Text

The Aftermath:

Strip entered the kitchen. He looked around. The counter tops and the cabinets had claw-marks. There were dishes all over the floor. Oil and food was splattered against everything. One of the fluorescent lights was busted.

“ Cal,” the Superbird reached for a nearby broom. “ Are you in here?!”

He climbed over the debris. There was a crunching sound. Strip looked down. A spoiler was underneath his tire. The Dinoco logo was clearly visible.

Strip gasped and hastily backed away. He bumped into something. The Superbird turned around. It was an overturned cart. The cart was in front of the freezer.

He pushed it out of the way and opened the door. There was oil and food everywhere, but no Cal. The Superbird slowly closed the door. He continued searching.

“ CAL,” Strip yelled.

“ I'm right here,” Cal's voice hissed in agony.

He was hidden behind a driveway with rubber flaps. Strip drove through it. The driveway led to a delivery bay.

Cal was on the floor, wrapping his rear axle with a bandage. A frozen steak sat on-top of his cab. The Superbird raced over to the younger car, hugging him.

“ There you are,” Strip cried.

The two made their way over to the nurse’s office. Lightning closed, locked, and barricaded the door behind them. It was just the four of them now…Soon to be three.

Dawn arrived. Doc passed away some time during the night. His injuries were too severe. Lightning sobbed in an empty corner, while Cal and his uncle comforted him.

“ Come on,” Strip ushered softly. “ Let's get outta here.”

They headed outside and looked around. The Wendigos had already retreated back into the woods. There wasn’t a single trace of them nor their victims anywhere, except for Chick's mangled body. The fire in the pit was smoldering. Thankfully, there was no wind last night.

The Superbird drove over to the pit, dumping water and sand on it. He turned to the younger racers. Lightning picked up his broken guitar, tossing it into the pit. Cal picked up his comic book, flipping through the pages. He sighed and did the same.

Strip led the group toward the campground entrance.

“ Uncle Strip,” Cal uttered. “ Can I ask you something?”

“ Sure, Cal,” the Superbird raised a windshield. “ What is it?”

“ If I ever turn like Junior did,” the younger stiffened his tone. “ Shoot me.”

Strip widened his eyes and turned to his nephew.

“ Cal, no,” he argued. “ I promised your parents I would…”

The younger car glared at him.

“ Just,” Cal firmly ordered. “ Do it.”

Strip continued gawking at him. Tears formed in his eyes. He gave a brief nod. The trio left Camp Dinoco and didn't look back.

Chapter Text

Epilogue:

Junior groaned and opened his eyes. He observed his surroundings. The Mountain Dew racer was in a room with a straw bed, a wooden table, and a pellet stove. 

“ Where am I,” Junior asked himself.

The red racer climbed out of bed and drove over to a nearby window. He peered outside. A group of Porsches drove passed him. 

Their wheels were hidden underneath their frames. White bonnets were perched on top of their cabs. They spoke to each other in German.

“ When am I,” the red car questioned.

Junior went to leave the room. He found a door. The Mountain Dew racer reached for the knob.

“ You should rest,” a voice suggested.

He whipped around. A white Porsche with sapphire blue eyes was parked on the bed. Next to her was a silver Porsche with bright green eyes.

“ Who are,” Junior stammered. “ How'd you?”

“ I’m Sarah,” she introduced. “ And this is my son, Amos. Welcome to Antifreeze Village.”