Fan Fiction ❯ Buckles and Beams ❯ Gear Shifts ( Chapter 3 )

Buckles and Beams

Chapter 3: Gear Shifts

"You can touch it if you wish…" Father Gustov smiled down, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. She didn't notice his comment, eyes completely glued to the contraption in front of her. It was a car, and the most beautiful one she'd ever seen. Father Gustov had said it was a gift to the church from an old friend he'd been reacquainted with a year ago at the circus, but Aurora didn't believe him. How could somebody give away something so gorgeous? Father Gustov had also said it was a "used" car, and that made it flawed in the eyes of buyers. But in Aurora's three-year-old eyes, it was perfect. She reached out to run her fingertips along the red exterior, walked down to press her palm against the bumper, and slowly made her way to the passenger's side.

"It's an older model, but it should work just fine," said the man standing beside Father Gustov. He had delivered the car, and was apparently the brother of the gift-giver.

"Of course. It's not like we're going to be traveling cross-country or anything. Thank you very much for your trouble, and thank your brother for me when you get the chance."

"Don't mention it. It was nothing. I'm actually pretty surprised that he didn't give you a better model…" his eyes swept over to Aurora, who had crawled inside the car and was playing with the stick shift, "Hey, kid! Watch it! Those things can be dangerous!" Aurora looked over at him, making a face, and turned her attention to the wheel instead.

"And there's absolutely nothing wrong with the car, right?" Father Gustov asked worriedly for the fifth time.

"What…?" the brother ripped his attention from the girl, focusing it back on Father Gustov, "Oh, um…no. Nothing wrong with it. It's been completely restored, I promise. The brakes might…" They were interrupted by Aurora, who had reached up to look at herself in the rearview mirror and accidentally leaned against the horn. The man beside Gustov flinched and sweated slightly, one of his beady eyes twitching, but Father Gustov just grinned. He was completely used to Aurora's rambunctious personality by now.

"It's been a pleasure meeting you, but I really need to get going," said the man, tilting his black hat and swinging into his own car.

"Wait, but what about the…" The man's door shut, and he was speeding off before Gustov could mutter another word, "brakes…?" Aurora climbed out from the car, walking up to stand beside the priest.

"I don't like that man," she mumbled, bringing her arms up to hug herself, even though it wasn't the slightest bit cold. "What exactly did you do for his brother, Father Gustov?"

He thought for a while, and then answered, "He had some bad dealings in the past. I merely helped him get back on the right path to God." Aurora nodded and looked back at the car, a slight tinge of unexplainable fear running up her spine. Gustov made his way back up to the church, car keys tinkering in his hand like funeral bells, and leaving the child with an empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. If the gift-giver and his brother had been such bad men, then that car was going to be bad, too.