The Little Engine That Couldn't Novels & Stories

“What were you gonna do with the mint?” “Dry it. Maybe sprinkle some in a batch of brownies.” “See? You’re creative. I never would’ve thought of that.” An engine revved in the machine shed, then sputtered and died. Metal clanged on metal. Gemma frowned. “Damn old tractor. Something’s always broken around here. I wish your dad would just forget about it.” “Not a chance. I never knew that Dad loves to tinker with engines. My Escape is running like a champ now, thanks to him. He has some kind of magic hands.”

While Vincent was busy learning about business and caring for his education, the young girl would often sneak into his house and climbed through his window, since his room was on the first floor. The young girl was always dressed in white dresses with lace and she always had this white tiger doll she used to carry around even after she became a teenager as if it was her most precious possession. At first when they started getting close, he did not really pay too much attention to her because although she was incredibly beautiful even at such a young age, he found her personality to be a bit unbearable.

She grunted as something clanked loudly under the hood. “Rosie,” I said. “Hold on,” she muttered, disappearing deeper into the engine like she was crawling inside it. The air smelled like rust, gasoline, and summer. My leg bounced. I had something to say, and it was eating me alive. I tapped again. “Rosie.” Nothing. She wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist. “Come on, baby,” she whispered to the engine like it could hear her. “Just one little growl for mama.”

Like a hammer, gently tapping on her forehead, it was giving her a dull headache. She looked out at the sun as it began to fade on the horizon. Perhaps it was a little ambitious of her to think she’d be there by day break. Perhaps it was a little ambitious of her to think she’d make it there at all. She had gone too far to turn back, but that knocking sound was getting louder, more frequent. Something jammed in the engine perhaps? Some random scrap of metal which had snapped under the stress of her erratic driving, bouncing about among the cogs and gears, threatening at any moment to jam itself into some crucial component, and crunch this trusty rusty steed into inertia.

I moved my legs over the crib trying to jump out of the crib but it's too high, after few more trials, one of my legs did make it over the railing but my other was stuck now. "Ahhhh mama help!" I scream, this was scarry, I was crying now, I wanted to get back inside the crib but I couldn't pull myself out or in, I was stuck in the middle. Mommy came inside the room running, she looked at me and shook her head before pulling me out of the stupid crib.

Harold pressed the start button of the engine but it wasn't working. Again a thunder striked. O.M.G.!! Did I really jinx it?

Sofia scrambled in next to me, bouncing like she’d had too much espresso. “Where’s the start button?” I whispered, poking buttons like they were candy. “There! That one!” she pointed. I pressed it. The engine roared to life. We both screamed and slapped our hands over our ears. “È troppo forte!” Sofia yelled. I tried to adjust the seat like I’d seen Mamma do, but my feet didn’t reach the pedals. “You’re too short,” Sofia groaned, slapping her forehead. “This is a disaster.”

Those elegant fingers usually handled luxury laptops and crystal champagne glasses. Now they were touching rusty metal. She climbed into the cabin and stared at the worn dashboard filled with faded buttons, half of which no longer worked. When she turned the key, the engine merely coughed weakly like an elderly man refusing to wake from sleep. “One more time, Miss!” Marko encouraged from outside. Chatrine muttered under her breath and tried again. The engine shuddered harder this time, growling and sputtering halfway between life and death. On the third attempt, the truck finally roared awake.

“Why are you so fucking stubborn, Alice? Get back inside now!!!!!!” “Stubborn? Me? I’m just tired of all your rules, Daddy. He cursed again under his breath and moved faster towards me. “Alice, I swear to God..” But I was already giggling, that wild rush making me feel dizzy and brave. “Too late, Daddy!”

‎“Come on… come on…” ‎I turn it. ‎The engine struggles… but doesn’t start. ‎My heart pounds harder. ‎Outside, the rain begins....soft at first, then heavier. The wind howls, slamming against the car. ‎“No, no, no…” ‎I try again. ‎This time, the dashboard lights up....and that’s when I see it. ‎A red light. ‎Fuel. ‎Empty. ‎Everything inside me sinks at once. ‎I lean back slowly in my seat, staring blankly ahead as the rain intensifies, drumming loudly against the car roof.