Jump
The dark blue city bus became airborne as it flew over the rise of the hill and landed solidly on Cannon Street. Careening through the city at speeds unlawful to both man and God, one could see its cramped passengers plastered to the windshield. Despite their obviously terrified expressions, there was resignation lurking behind their features. This was obviously a trip they were familiar with.
Barely slowing, the bus whipped into a parking lot, jumping a curb, and crashed to a halt in front of a dilapidated (and somewhat dented) bus stop. Its passengers streamed out of the exits in droves, thankful that they had once again managed to live through the five o´clock parking shuttle. The poor souls awaiting the bus´ arrival began muttering their prayers to their deity of choice. As they lined up next to one of the entrances.
Katy stepped down from the bus and beamed as the sun touched her face. The young man beside her grinned at her obvious appreciation of the fine weather. “I really owe you for this, Katy.” He shook his head ruefully. “I can´t believe Jack totaled both his car and mine.”
She waved off his thanks. “The man is multitalented, what can I say? Don´t worry about it Bryan, you´d do the same thing for me. Besides, you´re on the way home anyway. ”
They meandered over to her car, chatting idly. Katy unlocked the vehicle and tossed her bookbag in. It might not have been much to look at, but the car was her baby. An ancient Bonneville, almost older than she was herself, it´d had seen her through many a snowstorm and had managed to survive the man-eating potholes in the University´s student parking lot. Katy climbed in, unlocked Bryan´s door and shoved the key into the ignition. A moment later an unhealthy 'ack-ack-ack' sound filled her ears. Katy groaned inwardly as the battery light flickered on and the engine failed to turn over.
“Dead battery?” Bryan queried as he bent to peer into the car.
“Uhm….” How old was that battery, anyway? Katy gnawed on her lip as she tried to remember. Damn, this couldn´t have happened at home or when she was with Sandy, could it? She snapped her attention to Bryan as she suddenly realized that he was still talking.
“…any jumper cables?”
“No, no.. We´re not gonna need those. I know what it is.” She flashed him a wide, fake smile and reached under the dashboard to pop the hood of the car. “It happens *ALL* the time!”
“Well, what is it?” Bryan gave her a skeptical look.
Katy boggled. “Uhm… I´m not sure, exactly, I just hold these wires together and..”
“You hold wires together? What are you talking about? Here, why don´t you show me..” Bryan straightened up and began walking around the front of the car.
“NO! No. I need you to get in the driver´s seat and start the car for me.” Katy dived out the driver´s side and chased him away from the hood of the car.
“But-” His brow crinkled in confusion. “It sounds kinda dangerous, Katy. I don´t want you to get hurt. Why don´t you show me what you´re going to do, and maybe I can do it for you.”
Katy almost melted. “Bryan,” she wheedled, “My dad showed me how to do this. He´s a mechanic. He´s gotta know what he´s doing, right? He wouldn´t let his favorite daughter get hurt, would he?” She quietly let out the breath she´d been holding when he nodded uncertainly. “Now, get in there and I´ll just do my wire thing and we´ll be outta here.”
“But-“
“In!” She waited until Bryan had slipped into the driver seat before reaching under the hood and unlatching it. She propped it up and began to search for the battery. Finding it, she quickly pulled her watch off her wrist, flipped it over and removed the battery. Shoving the dead watch in her pocket she set the little battery on one of the car battery´s terminals and placed her left hand over it. She wrapped her other hand around one of the other knobs. “READY!” She yelled.
The engine obligingly began to make a hacking noise as it refused to turn over. Katy closed her eyes and began to concentrate on the watch battery. The hand that covered it began to tingle slightly as little sparks of electricity shot through it. The feeling began to travel up her arm and intensify. Suddenly the sensation bolted through her body, exiting through her right hand. The engine roared to life. Katy took her hands off the battery and backed up a step. Her fingertips burned a little. She reached out and knocked the little watch battery onto the ground. The car door slammed as Bryan came rushing round the front. “Is everything okay?” he asked, eyeing Katy.
She gave him what she hoped was a carefree smile and reached up to pull down the hood. “Yup.” She closed it with a firm snap.
His face broke out into a grin. “Cool. Y´know, my sisters don´t know how to do anything with their cars. They would have been so stuck.” He headed over to the passenger side of the car and climbed in.
Katy stood there for another second, absurdly pleased. “Really?”
Bryan nodded. “Yeah. I don´t know why they don´t learn how to, it´s not that hard. You´d think more girls would want to know how to do simple stuff like that.”
Katy rolled her eyes and gave him an appraising look as she climbed behind the wheel. “I think you´d be surprised at all the things I can do.” She stepped on the gas with a wicked grin. The car's tires squealed over the gravel and potholes as the car flew out of the parking lot.
Bryan´s hand clutched the door as his foot nervously slammed against the floor. “Why don´t I doubt that?” he muttered in a weak voice.
Katy laughed.
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