Before long, Jace and Ruth were alone at the kitchen table. Mom had declared, “I just can’t eat at a time like this.” Then she’d gotten up from the table and gone into the hall with the phone.

Ruth immediately stood up in her chair and tossed her orange plastic fork at the refrigerator.

Normally, Jace would tell her to sit down, or he’d call for Mom. But that night, he just wasn’t in the mood.

He stared at the door to the garage, worrying about his dad. “You think Dad’s okay, Ruthie?” he asked, still looking at the door.

Ruthie didn’t say anything. But to Jace’s surprise, the door seemed to answer him.

First there was a high-pitched revving sound. Then there was a toot-toot. Then came the revving again, louder and louder.

Ruth stopped shouting and tossing utensils. She frowned, looking at her brother. “What that noise?” she asked Jace. She sat down and looked at the door, then at Jace.

Jace looked back at her and shrugged. “I have no idea,” he told his sister. Then he got up from the table. He peeked into the hallway. Mom was sitting on the steps, talking quietly into the phone. Jace heard the words “insurance” and “disability.”

The revving had gotten a little quieter, but it was still coming. Jace walked slowly to the door that led to the garage. He threw it open.

There was the toy red sports car, right where’d he left it. But now it was on. Its little engine hummed quietly. Its headlights were on, shining dusty beams across the dark garage floor.

“Why that car on?” Ruth said, standing up in her chair again.

Jace put out his hand to quiet her. Then he took a careful step into the garage.

The little car revved.

Its little engine growled.

Jace took another step. The car’s hard-plastic tires scraped and squeaked on the cement floor, and it lurched forward.

Jace jumped back into the kitchen.

The car’s engine hummed quietly, like a resting lion purring as it watched a herd of gazelles.

Ruth jumped down from her chair and ran into the hall. “Mommy!” she squealed.

Jace took a heavy step into the garage, hoping to shut off the car before his sister got back with Mom. But the car revved loudly. Instantly, it screeched toward him.

Jace barely had time to jump back into the kitchen and slam the door closed. But that didn’t stop the car. Jace dove under the kitchen table just as the toy sports car smashed into the door.

The door splintered and flew from the hinges. Jace screamed.