"Cal's Grief" (Human Cars 3)

Chapter 1

Everybody had noticed it. It was in the way he walked. The way he talked. His body language just screamed it. Gone was Cal Weathers, that cheerful, brash speedster, replaced by...some hollow shell. He walked aimlessly in the trailer parking lot, as weeks of grief had taken its toll upon him. All of his friends knew that something was up, but none of them knew exactly what to do.

He had pushed them away when they had tried to confront him, lashing out like a wounded animal any time they tried to console him or plead him to get help. "Too headstrong" some would say. "Too proud" others still. But none of them realized the gravity of the situation until that one, fateful day. The day that Cal Weathers finally snapped.

After the race, Lightning was helping Mack his hauler as he did, he saw Cal walking around.

He stopped as heade his way to his best friend. "Cal!" Lightning called out!

"Huh..." Cal looked over to see his friend Lightning approaching. As Cal looked at his friend, the hollow shell that he had been for the last month looked at the blue haired speedster.

"What do you want?" He said dryly, a hint of hurt and a small bit of sadness in his voice. It was so very close to his normal tone of voice. It was as if he wanted to speak with his friend, but something forced him to say those words to push Lightning away.

Lightning saw how tired Cal looked. "Woah..." He exclaimed.
Cal's hair was a mess, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked tired.

"Are you... Okay?" Lightning asked.

Cal's eyes widened, as he heard those three words, and that comment he lashed out at Lightning McQueen.

Cal's voice snapped as he shouted "Of course I'm not okay! Of course I'm not okay! Nothings okay! My whole world is collapsing!" Tears were welling up in Cal's eyes and he turned away from his friend. "Just let me be!" Cal barked, not wanting any help or advice, even though he knew he needed it.

Lightning was taken aback as he looked at his friend. "Dude, I was only-!" He tried to explain but his friend cut him off.

"Shut up Lightning. Just shut up!" Cal shouted, turning back to face his friend. "You don't know what I'm feeling. You can't help me." He said, trying to push his friend away.

Lightning looked shocked and hurt as Cal spoke. He just wanted to help his friend, but he couldn't seem to even communicate with him. Cal's words cut him like a knife, and he turned away.

Lightning glared at him. "Fine! Leave! It's not like I need a dumbass bubble like you anyways..." He mumbled something under his breath.
Cal stopped and turned around to face Lightning and wanted him to say that again.
"What the hell, did you just say..." Cal asked.

"I said... that you're a dumbass bubble." Lightning repeated with a roll of his eye. Cal couldn't do anything but stand there, stunned by the sudden burst of rage from his friend. The words stung and Cal felt hurt by them.

Lightning then continued "A bubble filled with nothing but idiocy." He said, his voice harsh and cold as he turned to head back to his hauler. He wasn't about to stand around and fight with Cal. He was done with being nice to him.

Lightning started walking from him as he looked annoyed, then...

Cal jumped on him-he ambushed him!

Cal threw his arms around Lightning, causing him to stumble. A look of surprise and confusion flashed across his friend's face as he tried to process what was happening.

As the two toppled to the ground, Cal found himself on top of Lightning, his full weight pressing Lightning down into the pavement. Cal's eyes were full of anger, his face contorted into a mask of rage as he stared down at the surprised Lightning.