Flat Tyre

Having finished for the day, Celia made her way over to her car. Once again, it was pouring with rain outside, and the dress she was required to wear for her job was quickly soaked.

Fumbling with her wet keys, she unlocked her old Ford, throwing herself in. The rain was nearly deafening inside it, and she wasn’t sure which was more misted; her windscreen or glasses.

She quickly slid them off, attempting to clear some of the lens with her saturated attire.

She gazed around as she wiped them. Without her glasses, she couldn’t discern the slightest detail, but the rain remained visible to her. Leaning closer to the windscreen, she squinted out, watching the blurry drops slam into it.

Lifting them before her, she could see they were clear enough, and so replaced them and started the car.

Setting off, she put the wipers on full, their blazing speed almost keeping up with the rain as they batted at it.

Headlights flashed passed her, water crashing onto the chassis as it was thrown off the road.

Suddenly, she heard a pop, and she felt the old car veer heavily to the right.

She wrestled it, but the tugging got stronger and stronger, until she realized that she had no choice but to stop.

Pulling over in the nearest lay-by, she threw the door open, letting water pour in and leaning out to check her wheels. She soon saw the problem; her front right tyre was flat.

Sighing heavily, hitting her head on the steering wheel, she knew she had no choice but to change it.

Reluctantly getting out, she made her way round to the boot, the freezing rain covering every inch of her, her heels sliding on the wet tarmac.

Wrenching the boot open, she prised the spare wheel out, almost falling over as she struggled to lift it. Using all her remaining strength to push it onto its side, she rolled it down to the front, leaning it against the bonnet.

As she made her way to the flat, a lorry passed at speed, sending a huge jet of water over her car and soaking her.

She screamed as it froze her skin, rubbing her arms in an attempt to get warm. Realizing it was pointless, she grabbed the jack, growling as she forced it to lift the arch.

Quickly wiping some of the mist off her lenses with her fingers, she pulled off the old wheel, falling onto her backside with a groan as she tried to lift it.

Edging her way back to the new tyre, holding onto the chassis for support, she grabbed it, taking to the axis and sliding it on, screaming with the effort, her heels sliding on the ground.

Wiping her lenses again, she tightened the bolts, leaning close to see them. Wiping her lenses once more, the rain blinding her, she secured the final bolt, grinning as she tested the wheel.

Replacing the jack, she stood back to admire her handiwork, before she noticed she was shivering. Rubbing her arms again, she hastily made her way over to the old tyre.

But she was too fast.

As she moved, her heel finally gave away, and she screamed as she was thrown to the hard wet tarmac, hearing a clatter as she landed.

Pushing herself up, she squinted around her, unable to determine anything around her.

“My glasses!” she squealed, scrabbling around, “my glasses!”

Finding nothing, she stood up, trying to blink her eyes into focus, but it was no use. Even the colour of her car was impossible to determine.

She looked down, squinting as she searched for her tyre, but she couldn’t tell it apart from the ground, the hands in front of her barely visible.

Stepping gently over, she reached out, glad when she found her car. Using it as a guide, she edged her way along it, placing her feet and hands carefully while she blindly searched for the door.

Nearly falling over when the vehicle vanished, she determined that she’d found the door, easing herself inside, glad to be out of the downpour.

Looking ahead, she realized that she couldn’t see further than an inch before her eyes, and slammed her head into the steering wheel in exasperation.

Without her glasses, she couldn’t go anywhere. She couldn’t see.

And she didn’t notice the figure stop beside her, a torch glaring through the window and a smiling face looking in.

She looked up and squinted, able to make out only the light, the face indistinguishable.

“Need a hand?”