Rumbling Noise When Driving Novels & Stories

Nothing. Great. Just what I needed today. I started hitting the steering wheel over and over again to let out my frustration when a loud grumbling noise made me freeze in fear. Dread took over me when the very animal-like grumbling continued flooding my ears from outside the car. My hands turned cold but were also covered in sweat at the same time. It made no sense. I couldn’t even tell if my heart was even functioning properly at this point because breathing seemed like an impossible task.

Further down, I stop a man unloading crates outside a small store. “Seen a woman fitting that description? New in town?” He shrugs. “Lots of new faces lately.” Useless. I grip the steering wheel tighter. I turn onto a narrower road. Gravel. Uneven surface. The car jolts hard as I pass over a deep rut. There’s a sharp metallic scrape beneath me. Then a grinding sound. “What the hell—” The engine sputters and dies. Silence. I sit there for a second, staring straight ahead.

Numerous vehicles were squeezed tightly together in the unbearable length and thickness of the traffic. They appeared like a queue, moving at a snail's pace. The honking of cars was incessant. Some drivers rolled down their windows to see what was happening up ahead, while others were on the verge of losing their temper and violently gripping the steering wheel.

I want to make sure first that everything is okay before I let him ride in a car. While recalling everything. I started hearing scratching again. The sound of it is like a blade scratching into a metal. That creates an irritating sound that will make someone’s brain hurt for sure when they hear it and that is what I feel right now. I feel like my brain will explode because it starts aching again. “No… no… no” I whispered; not again. I tried to avoid it but I keep on hearing it over and over and it gets louder and louder.

Another sound followed…a low grinding noise beneath the hood. “What the hell…” I muttered, glancing at the dashboard. The temperature gauge flickered, then the engine light blinked red. “No, no, no. Not now.” The sound grew louder. I pressed lightly on the gas, but the car jerked instead of moving smoothly. “Come on,” I hissed, hitting the steering wheel. “Not now. Please.” The road around me was completely deserted… no lights, no houses, no sign of life. Just the sound of the wind slipping through the trees and the car’s dying hum.

The scent of burnt rubber and something I couldn't quite place a name to, filled my nose. “Oh, shit…” My voice came out weak, barely audible over the ringing in my ears. “What the fuck is your problem!!? Are you freaking bling!? Do you want to get yourself killed?” I turned to the other raging driver who had his head out of his window and I just couldn't bring myself to say anything. In the wake of my silence, he mumbled something to himself and drove away his black sedan that now had one headlight bumped in. I forced myself to move, my fingers gripping the wheel as I blinked rapidly, trying to process what just happened.

It swings open, silent, and smooth until I start the engine. I flinch at the sound of the engine roaring in the middle of the night. It surely is loud enough to wake up anyone in the distance. Anyone. Before anyone catches me, I press down on the accelerator, and the car thrusts forward but doesn't move. I put it on reverse and it quickly lurches back before slamming into a small tree. "Shit," I curse before shifting the gears again and driving forward. "Get a grip." I tell myself while moving down the dirt road that leads straight out.

"Everyone, stop bickering over trivial things and let me drive and peace," the driver said, scaring the people at he back. The driver is clearly threatening them. He is grasping the steering wheel with his strong hands; it is noticeable as it is audible that it gives the sound of screeching wheels. Stepping on the gas, the luxury car sped up on the car lane, almost bumping into other cars in queue for the toll gates in the other side of the road.

The impact rippled around the property, breaking the tense air. There was a loud crunch as the metal gave way and bent from the force of contact. The sound of wheels squealing on the cold, hard concrete filled the air, and the air was heavy with the pungent smell of burnt rubber. On the other hand, the attacker's vehicle was clearly damaged, with a dented bonnet, a broken windscreen, and an engine barely running.

They were lost, driven here by that abomination, and they were running out of road. Naelis gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles white. She looked in the rearview mirror, checking on Silas. “Arggghh!” “Arggghh!” “Arggghh!” The growling began again, but it wasn't the sound they had heard before. This one sounded more dangerous and it sent chills down her spine. The necklace at her neck suddenly went wild, vibrating so hard it began to bruise her skin, emitting a high-pitched sound that made her ears bleed.