You Are Here

CHAPTER EIGHT

Parker

An hour before I'd normally lock up I decide to go and get the engine distributor, the moment I lock the shop I realise I left my phone underneath the rags. I figure I won't be gone too long and I'll get it when I come back to leave the distributor and Ferrel's desk.

The car I normally see out the front is gone. Walking to my own I look around, she isn't here. I guess the libraries closed, I can't see that far but I can make out a piece of paper stuck to the door.

Following the instructions I wrote myself before, I park my car and walk for a bit before I turn into and up the driveway. I come up to what Ferrel described as a large black door, I would personally describe it as 'the door one should never open or think about going near'. Spider webs cover the doorknob, I take in a deep breath and turn the knob. I'm not too concerned about locking the door behind me, no one would want to come in here.

Fumbling around for a light switch I notice how big this place is, when I find the switch on the wall I flick all of them upward. After a second or two, the warehouse is lit up by the lights of the ceiling row by row, expanding by the second. The lights are dull and flickering, but I can still see through the light from the high windows. Tens of shelves filled with what anyone else would describe as junk, to me, its heaven.

The shelving have signs that hang above, much like an aisle in a grocery shop. 'ENGINE' perfect. Walking up and down the aisle I look for a distributor but get distracted by so many other things. The majority of this crap doesn't work, it's either too old or physically doesn't work. Just before I turn into the aisle a reflective box catches my eye.

A box filled with broken bits of head and brake lights remind me of lights on a Christmas tree. My sisters and I like to decorate one every year before we go to the Brennan's. All I would have to do is change out the lights for coloured ones and tada, a Christmas lights made from car parts. I'm getting side-track.

I walk into the engine aisle and find the crate labelled 'distributor-new' next to 'distributor-broken.' The distributor looks like an electric plug with a metallic shell perfect for conduction.

I place the distributor in my oversized and deep pocket. I take a pen and write the barcode number on the same page as the instructions. When I give it to Ferrel he'd know where I got it from.

I start to head back to the door, to write down what I took. The piece of paper hung with a pin through it, stuck to a pin board. With the pen attached to a small string I write down my name and what I took. Then head again for the door. But... while I'm here I might as well look around. I'm not going to take anything, just... have a look, no harm no foul.

I walk up and down different aisles, looking at all of the oil filters and pans etc. Although this place is getting darker, the brand new metal is still reflective. Comparing the rusted next to the shiny. One has completed its purpose while the other waits to be used. The majority of the things in here have just been put aside, the new and clean ones are more important and deserve just as much attention, and some may say even more attention than their older brother because they work just as hard and their Dad barely notices the work he puts into the shop. I mean... whatever.

I guess I'm just mad, I still haven't heard anything from him and I'm not surprised. I remember when I use to expect a call back or a message, but now I don't expect it. I wonder when that started to happen. When Brandon turned pro I guess.

While admiring the cylinders, pieces of hood and twisted bumpers, the lights start to flicker out, pulsing every now and now. I guess that's what happens to old lights when they stay on too long. I should probably head back now.

I head to the disgusting door and try for the handle, only it isn't there. What? The handle isn't there. I can still faintly see but the door doesn't have one, it must be one of those doors that locks from the outside. Whoever invented that is a genius by the way (not).

Realisation hits me. Oh shit! Ferrel told me to put wedge a brick in front of the door. I guess I was more occupied with remains of spider web than getting back out. Dammit!

Surely there's another way out of here.

The windows seem way too high, plus I can barely see between the flashes. However I can see a little green exit sign in the back corner of the warehouse. I stumble past things with my arms to my side, holding me up and giving me balance.

The exit sign illuminates the area around me and I can see a miniature half door. The door only comes up to my waist. 'Oh god. I'm going crawl through this aren't I,' I think to myself. I look behind me, hopeful. Maybe the door will open and the lights will miraculously turn on. They don't.

Contemplating what's on the other side of the door I decide not to risk it. Who knows what's in there. Lions? Tigers? Bears? Oh, my! I awkwardly sit on the floor with my legs crossed and the distributor sticking out of my pocket.

I don't know what I'm waiting for exactly but I just sit and wait. And wait and wait. And soon realise that I was waiting for nothing. I needed to get out, get my phone and head back to the shop, but the only way out was this door.

The more I thought about what was on the other side, the more imaginative I got. In the back of my mind I just kept thinking it's probably a door to outside. Most likely when I open that door I will smell the fresh air and be out of this dark place.

I guess there is only one way to find out.