I’ve heard that it’s not very safe to drive on a plugged tire. Is that true? Why is repairing or replacing a damaged tire a better option than plugging a tire? What are the dangers of driving on a plugged tire?
We’ve all been there before. You wake up or walk to your car after work, only to look down and see a flat tire and a nail sticking out. You don’t have time to take your vehicle into an auto shop and need a quick fix. It’s a small nail, so you plug your tire and go on with your life.
You only meant for the plug to be a temporary solution until you could get the tire replaced. Then life happens, and it’s a few days before you can get a new tire. Those few days turn into months, which can quickly turn into a year. You may start to ask yourself if it’s really safe to drive on a plugged tire.
It turns out that installing a plug can have a serious impact on the life and integrity of your tire. That is if it’s safe to plug your tire at all. Here is what you need to know about plugged tires and how safe it really is to drive on one.
The first thing you should consider when plugging a tire is if it’s safe to install a plug in the first place. There are specific cases when it’s safe to use a plug. Outside of these scenarios, driving on a plugged tire could be dangerous to you and other drivers.
Depending on the size of the puncture, the extent of the damage, and the tread of your tire, you may not be able to repair the tire with a plug. The size of the hole must be no larger than 0.25 inches and must be located on the tread of your tire. If the puncture is on the shoulder or sidewall, then you will need to replace the tire.
The angle of the puncture also makes a big difference in the effectiveness of a plug. Ideally, the nail or object that punctured your tire went straight in. This would make a repair fairly straightforward.
However, if the tire was punctured at an angle, the plug will have a hard time completely sealing the punctured area. Take note of how the nail or screw looks and the angle that it entered the tire.
The age and quality of your tire is also an important factor in whether or not it can be plugged. If the tread on your tire has been worn below 2/32 of an inch, then your tread is too far gone to be plugged. If you’re wondering how you can measure this, 2/32 of an inch is the amount measured by the classic penny test. Make sure your tire passes the penny test before you even thinking of plugging it. If it doesn’t pass the test, then it’s probably time for a new set of tires anyway.
If you have to ask yourself whether or not your tire can be repaired, that may be a sign that it’s time to move on. A TIA-certified tire technician can inspect your tire and let you know for certain if it’s safe.
Another thing to think about when it comes to driving on a plugged tire is how your repair may impact the manufacturer’s warranty on your tire.
Improper repair and maintenance is a surefire way to void your warranty. Think twice the next time you consider opting for a DIY approach on your next tire repair.
When it comes to the safety of your vehicle, it’s always best to leave things to the experts. By having your tire repaired by a certified professional, you can be confident your repair is performed properly, and your manufacturer warranty is still “good.”
The biggest problem with driving on a plugged tire is that you still have a hole in your tire! While it may be a temporary fix, it’s important to recognize that there is still a structural failure in your tire that needs to be addressed.
It only makes sense that a plugged tire cannot handle the same level of stress and strain as a tire in good condition. This is especially true when you start reaching higher speeds on the highway. The manufacturer won’t support a tire’s speed rating once it has been repaired. So, if you plan on racing, off-roading, or just want to go fast, a plugged tire isn’t going to work.
Over time, it’s possible for that small puncture to slowly get larger. This results in a greater loss of air while also increasing your chances of a blowout on a road. Furthermore, the plug itself may fail while you are driving, putting you back where you started.
In the event of a flat tire from a nail or screw, the best course of action is always to replace the tire. A plug or patch for your tire may help tide you over until you can have it replaced, but it’s important to remember that a plug is meant to be a temporary fix.
While it may be tempting to see how far you can get with a five-dollar repair, the consequences of a plugged tire failing will be much worse than if you had replaced the tire in the first place.
If you just purchased a tire or recently bought a set of expensive tires, it can be a frustrating experience. If this is the case and you hope the tire can be saved, it may be worth it to have it inspected by a professional.
The TIA-certified tire experts at Tread Connection know how to properly diagnose, inspect, and repair flat tires. When you work with Tread Connection for your flat repair, the tire will be removed from the wheel and carefully inspected inside and out. This helps us ensure whether or not it can be safely repaired.
If the tire can be repaired, our team will take care of it for you. In the event that your tire cannot be safely repaired, our team will recommend a replacement from our wide range of tires to find the right one for your needs, and your budget.
It’s never worth it to gamble when it comes to the safety of you and your vehicle. Don’t try to see how long you can drive on that plugged tire. Have your tire inspected and repaired the right way by the TIA-certified tire experts at Tread Connection.
We bring the tire shop to you and can repair your flat or replace your tire at your home and on your schedule.
Schedule your tire service with Tread Connection today!
BUY TIRES
A punctured tire while in traffic is an annoying thing. Each case will have different treatment methods. However, users choose the technique of plugging or patching that is the most popular because it helps to completely overcome the situation of a punctured tire quickly and saves money.
So, is plugging a tire safe? This measure is only a temporary fix, and it will not be safe on a long road. But, it’s possible for you to try to stay on the short one.
Scroll down, and learn more about this topic in the article below.
Is Plugging A Tire Safe?The tire plug method has been confirmed by experts to be effective.
The working principle is to use a specialized wire to seal the vent hole. The particular substances in the cord are solid, and they can automatically contract or expand very quickly, a way that helps to adapt to any shape of the hole.
However, this fix is not recommended by many people. Why?
Manufacturers only recommend using the plug cord as a temporary solution despite the miraculous effect before taking long-term repair measures. The reason comes from the objectivity of the items; they have shown that many potential dangers surround the problem.
Specifically, environmental influences such as air and moisture will penetrate the body to degrade and destroy the wheel structure, causing dangers.
Over time, by the state of corrosion that will weaken the steel wheel belt, the rubber tires bonded to increase impact. Another risk when repairing a puncture with a plug is damage to the inner wheel body. You can’t tell what damage is there with the naked eye.
But you absolutely should not confuse effectiveness with risk. It is pretty safe for you to use a plug to repair a punctured tire if you are moving the vehicle for a short distance. Consequences and risks are situations that occur in the future.
There are many definite causes of tire damage, including hitting sharp objects, worn tires. If you maintain the condition above the pressure, it may cause the tire to fail. If the vehicle cannot be repairable immediately, use the measures:
Tire plugIt will be pretty convenient if you have experience in the profession. The process is quite simple:
For detailed guides, check out this video below:
It is a temporary solution. If you want to use it for a long time, regularly check the quality of the tires to control the condition the wheel is having.
Replace your tiresThe second way to repair a wheel is to get a new one.
It is a great solution, ensuring the safest for you. Although the money you have to spend is quite expensive, it comes with a guarantee of the features of a wide tire, minimizing the risks you are facing.
No, we’ve emphasized quite a few times that a plug is only a temporary solution before you can change the wheel or have a more permanent fix.
It would help if you understood that the vent plug is designed for temporary use only, as it tends to leak over time, releasing the air through the hole when traveling at high speeds.
Besides, the plug wire can be soaked in water, rusting and damaging the entire wheel structure.
When Should You Not Plug A Tire?The cases in which you should not plug the models are as follows:
Patches are often more effective than plugs, at least in timing.
A plugged-in model is only safe to travel for 8 miles so that you can move the car farther, longer with the patch repair option.
Patches are usually less affected by the environment, so the life of a punctured one when patched can be up to 7-10 years with careful maintenance.
How Long Do You Wait After Plugging In The Model?You need to wait more than 5 minutes. When the adhesives are completely dry, the plug is firmly fixed at the mouth of the hole to ensure that water and moisture cannot penetrate so that you can drive with peace of mind.
ConclusionIn this article, we have presented the knowledge related to car repair with the tire plug method. We hope to help you when encountering this situation.
Thank you, and see you in our next update!
This post was last updated on — Mom?! Claire called out in surprise.
Kitty turned around. Her green eyes glowed with pleasure.
See my new TV? she said proudly.
- Where did it come from? Claire asked confused. But the mother was already completely absorbed in figure skating. The nurse on duty shrugged as Claire tried to question her.
- I have no idea. The TV was delivered fifteen minutes ago.
- Who brought him?
- I don't know.
— Didn't they say anything?
Mrs Kenya frowned.
— No. I thought it was yours.
Claire realized that Nick sent the TV. How he knew that Kitty's TV was broken was a mystery.
- I cannot allow my mother to use someone else's thing.
The nurse looked at Claire like she was crazy but didn't say anything.
Claire, despite her mother's protests, replaced the new TV with her portable one. She dragged the TV to the car with difficulty, intending to return it to Nick tomorrow. But when she called him the next morning, he denied everything.
"Great," Claire snapped, "in that case, I'll bring the TV to work and put it on your desk.
"
Of course, she knew that she would not do it. There is absolutely no need for colleagues to know what happened.
Two days later, on her way to work, she couldn't start her car. In desperation, Claire was ready to burst into tears on the spot. Lord, why am I being punished like this! She went up to her apartment and called the service station.
The mechanic arrived fifteen minutes later. After fiddling with the machine, he wiped his forehead with his hand.
— I'm sorry, Ms. Kendrick, but it looks like your generator has failed.
— How much does it cost?
Hearing the sum, she cringed inwardly. Repairing the car will eat up all her modest savings - the money she put aside for new tires. But what is left for her to do?
That day Claire asked Rita to give her a ride to work. Claire felt helpless. All of a sudden everything was too expensive for her. She felt like the Dutch boy of legend who tried to plug a hole in a dam with his finger.
In the evening Rita picked her up to take her home.
"You're a wonderful friend," Claire said as she settled into the front seat of the small sports Mazda.
Stop it, Claire. This is nonsense.
- Not at all.
— When will your car be ready?
- Tomorrow.
- I'll give you a lift there.
The next day, when they arrived at the service station, Clyde, the mechanic, handed her a copy of the order.
- I did everything you asked. You did the right thing by ordering a complete overhaul,” he said with a beaming smile.
— Complete repair? What do you want to say? Claire asked, her voice cracking with alarm.
“Well, like - put new tires, replaced worn belts, fixed the alternator, adjusted everything that needed to be ...” Clyde's smile faded when he saw Claire's expression.
- Clyde, I didn't ask you to do this.
He scratched the back of his head, bewilderment flickered in his innocent light blue eyes.
— How was this not ordered? Here is the work order. He pointed at the paper Claire held in her hands. This guy from your job, he said...
- What guy?
Clyde shrugged.
- How should I know? Yesterday someone called here, said he was from your job, asked me to fix everything that needs repair, and at the same time change the tires.
Nick! Who else could it be? Rage boiled in her chest. Damn him!
- Clyde, that's impossible. I'm sorry, but an error has occurred. I can't pay for all this work," she stammered.
— Bill already paid, Miss Kendrick.
Claire glanced at her friend, who raised an eyebrow. Gritting her teeth, and without saying a word, she got into the car.
On the way home, Claire either cursed Nick or admired the smooth running of the repaired car. She knew that if she called him, he would again deny everything. And so it turned out.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," he said.
The worst thing about these two incidents was that Nick's intervention highlighted Claire's helplessness and weakness.
And she didn't want to be weak.
The next day he started working through Kitty. When Claire drove into Pinehaven on Thursday night, nervous that it was already February and the first of March was just around the corner, she saw her mother eating expensive chocolate and a huge bouquet of flowers on her nightstand.
- Where are these flowers from? Claire asked Mrs. Proway.
She shrugged her shoulders.
- I don't know. They were brought before the start of my duty.
Claire couldn't even get angry. Especially when she saw how much joy it gave Kitty. After all, what right does she have to deprive her mother of this little pleasure?
Then Kitty got a small gift every day: a bracelet, perfume, sweets, a lace-trimmed handkerchief, a silk scarf, a china music box. The mother was delighted. Claire is on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
She was tired of resisting what Nick offered her. Tired of looking for a solution to the problem with Kitty.
Tired of being alone. Tired of everything.
Claire didn't know how long she could hold out, or if she wanted to. Why not jump at the opportunity Nick is offering her? After all, he was quite frank with her. All he wants from her is to provide him with a quiet family life and give birth to children.
Children. Claire felt a spasm in her chest. Tomorrow she would try one last time to convince Nick to leave her alone. Because if he continues to continue in the same spirit, she will not have the strength to resist.
In the morning she called Nick's secretary and asked when he could see her.
“He will be waiting for you at ten,” Wanda said.
At exactly ten o'clock, Claire went up to the fiftieth floor. When she entered Nick's office, he stood up and smiled.
— What a pleasant surprise.
- Nick, I'm here to ask you to stop all this. What you are doing is not fair, especially to my mother. She begins to get used to this flow of luxury. It's cruel.
- There is no reason why this, as you called it, flow of luxury should stop.
Claire looked into his eyes. She expected to meet the arrogant, confident look she'd seen before. But attentive, kind eyes were looking at her, in the expression of which there was something else, something that made her heart ache.
- There is a reason, and you know it.
He sighed.
— Claire, give me a chance. That's all I ask. If you agree to spend Saturday evening with me, I will try to convince you of the reasonableness of my proposal.
Due to the feeling of fatigue and defenselessness that did not let go of her, she answered more sharply than she wanted:
— No. I won't go anywhere with you.
- You know that I can make you. After all, I'm your boss, right?
— Will you resort to blackmail?! Claire yelled.
"Well, if it's necessary," he said casually, as if teasing her.
— Victory at any cost?
- I already told you once: I rarely lose.
He looked like a winner.
— Well, Mr. Callahan, if you think that I will do everything you tell me to do just because you are the owner of this company, then you are sorely mistaken. Because I do not want to fulfill your whims. And if you don't like it, you can fire me.
Before Claire could reach the door, he stopped her by blocking her path and grabbing her arm. She jerked her hand away and glared at him furiously.
Nick's voice sounded calm:
— Good. You're fired. Now will you agree to marry me?
6
They were facing each other. Thoughts raced through Claire's mind at breakneck speed. She desperately wanted to slap Nick in the face to knock that self-confident expression off his handsome haughty face.
The warm blue of Nick's eyes sparkled with mockery and something else that reminded her of that evening in New Orleans, when they stood at the door of the suite, and she guessed that he wanted to kiss her.
He wanted the same now.
They both knew it. He wanted her and she wanted it too.
Why are you resisting, Claire?
The question is what is needed. Why is she resisting? And really, why? He offers her everything that any woman can only dream of: protection from adversity, security, children. What if he doesn't promise her eternal love? He likes her. It's clear that he wants her physically.
And she's attracted to him too, she has to admit it. Nick awakened the woman in her. So why not make a smart deal? By continuing to resist on principle, she would make Kitty suffer. For what? He or the other - does it matter, because you can not wait for love at all.
She shrugged.
"I don't know," she said wearily.
Nick took her hand. This time she didn't pull it out and let him lead her to the far corner of the office, where there was a low coffee table and two small sofas. Claire sat on one of them, Nick on the other.
He stared at her for a few moments, then leaned forward and asked,
“Claire, can you answer a few of my questions?”
- It depends on what you want to know.
- Good. The corners of his lips twitched into a slight smile. - Question one: if I had not asked you to marry me, what would you think of me?
- I... I don't quite understand what you mean.
— What would be your attitude towards me? Would I disgust you? Would you feel dislike for me?
— No. She shook her head. - No. I…” She trailed off, catching his eye. So blue. So bewitching.
— Well? He gently nudged her.
— I... I don't... I don't feel any dislike towards you.
— Do you have respect for me?
— I respected you before all this started.
— Did you enjoy spending time with me?
- Yes. Basically yes.
— So, if I were to invite you somewhere, without mentioning marriage, would you go? Their eyes met again. The clock struck half past eleven. Their gentle ringing coincided with Claire's heartbeat. - Would you come with me? he repeated the question.
- Yes.
“I like being with you too,” Nick said quietly.
— I think we would be a good couple.
Claire licked her lips. He followed her like a raven following prey. She took a deep breath. Time seemed to stand still in anticipation.
- Good. I will marry you.
Nick's eyes flashed in triumph. Claire trembled as she realized there was no turning back. Fear and excitement tightened his throat. God, what has she done, what has she done...
Smiling contentedly, Nick got up and walked over to his desk. He unlocked the top drawer, took out something, and solemnly handed her a small velvet box.
Claire, as if in a fog, opened the lid and froze. A huge diamond rested on a white satin. Her heart sank in her chest. Was he so sure that she would say yes?! Claire wanted to be angry, but she knew it was stupid. Nick's self-confidence turned out to be the quality that made him what he became: a man who knows how to achieve success. A man who will take care of her and, of her mother. A man who invited her to share his life, his home and his destiny.
A man who was honest with her about his feelings.
Following an unconscious feeling, she silently stood up. Nick took the box from her hands, took out the ring and put it on her left finger. Even that light touch made her tremble.
Claire looked at the diamond sparkling on her finger.
- I didn't expect...
- I know. If you had guessed, I wouldn't have taken such pleasure in giving it to you. And before she could say anything, Nick leaned over and kissed her.
Everything swirled and swam around Claire like a carousel when she was in his arms.
Nick's hands squeezed her tighter, through the thin silk of her dress she felt their burning warmth. Finally, he broke the kiss and said in an undertone:
— You won't regret it, dear. I promise.
The next day at 7 am, Claire called Rita.
“I really need you,” she said. “Come, I need to talk to you.”
- Are you crazy! I'm still sleeping.
— Rita, please!
A heavy sigh came from the receiver.
- Well, okay, I'll come. Can I at least take a shower?
Yes.
— Make coffee. I'll be there in an hour.
True to her word, Rita appeared at Claire's door fifty-eight minutes later.
— Where is the coffee? she demanded as she walked into the kitchen.
Claire handed her a cup and nodded towards the coffee maker.
“Mm, great,” Rita said after taking her first sip. - So what happened?
- Look, I... I agreed to marry Nick Callahan. She waved her hand with the ring in front of Rita's nose. The diamond sparkled like a small sun.
Girlfriend goggled and whistled:
— Holy God! This stone has at least three carats! I can't even imagine how much it could cost. Rare thing! Rita narrowed her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "I remember you said you weren't going to marry him."
Claire couldn't bear that mocking look. She turned away, pretending to be busy with coffee.
“I changed my mind,” she muttered.
“So, so…” Rita began to tap her long nails on the smooth surface of the round kitchen table. "And why did you change your mind, may I ask?"
“I don't know,” Claire sighed. “At first, everything was clear to me. But yesterday I suddenly felt so tired, so doomed. I always remember my mother, how happy we were before. And the more I think about her, the more it seems to me that I am acting like an egoist. After all, many people marry not for love, but for other reasons. There is nothing to be ashamed of.
Rita was silent, looking at her over the cup.
"Say something," Claire couldn't help it.
Rita smiled and put down her cup.
— So you're saying that you accepted Nick Callahan's proposal because of your mother?
Yes.
— And not because you are attracted to this man, at least a little?
Claire remembered feeling dizzy when Nick kissed her. And about how she wanted more... Her face flushed.
- I...
- Baby, if you want to fool yourself, keep it up.
But before you is me, your best friend. And I know you too well to believe you're only marrying this guy for your mother. She pursed her lips, her black onyx eyes flashing with derision. - Since you agreed, it means that you are already half in love, you can not deny it.
Claire took a deep breath. Taking a last look at herself in the mirror, she straightened the skirt of her dark green dress. All day she thought about what her friend had said. Is Rita right? Is Claire really in love with Nick? She remembered the look in Nick's eyes when he put the ring on her finger, and how she felt as he did so.
Claire hoped she was doing the right thing. Too bad she can't talk to Kitty about it. Her mother had always been hopelessly romantic. Would she approve of her arranged marriage?
Why is it so hard for Claire to let go of her parents' dream of love? They were so happy together! Claire closed her eyes. Images of childhood floated before her: her father returning home with a bouquet of daisies, and her mother running towards him, her eyes glowing with love and happiness.
Claire remembered how her father, sneaking up behind Kitty, who was busy in the kitchen, would put his arm around her waist and begin to tickle her neck with his lips. Mother blushed and giggled, "Stop it, John," but Claire could see that Kitty liked it. Claire, too, loved the warm feeling of happiness that came over her when her parents were together. She felt protected by such love.
If she marries Nick, will their relationship be like that of her parents? Will she have moments of such happiness as her mother had? Will she be able to enjoy physical intimacy if there is no spiritual intimacy? And anyway, can she share a bed with Nick, knowing that they do not love each other?
Today they will spend their first evening together as an engaged couple. Claire closed her eyes. Right or wrong, the decision has been made. She won't change him.
The doorbell rang at exactly seven. Claire's heart was beating fast. Looking serious, she opened the door. To her amazement, Nick's chauffeur was standing outside the door.
- Gordon!
“Mr. Callahan asked me to pick you up,” Gordon explained.
“Ah,” she drawled, putting on her raincoat and taking her purse.
This was a surprise to Claire. She knew that Nick was fond of expensive beautiful cars and preferred to drive himself in the evenings. He told her that he owned a silver Lotus, a black Jaguar, a red Maserati, and a navy blue Porsche.
— Where are we going, Gordon?
- I've been instructed to take you to Mr. Callahan's, Miss Kendrick.
To his house… These words made her heart ache with anxiety. Spend the evening in the privacy of his home...
When the car turned into the rounded lane leading to the estate half an hour later, Claire chuckled to herself. An intimate setting? This majestic yellow-brick building, topped on one side by a round tower, looked more like a medieval castle than a private home. The only thing missing is a moat, Claire thought as she got out of the car and followed Gordon up the flat steps that led to the mahogany double doors.
As soon as they reached the top step, the doors opened wide and a smiling maid greeted them. Nick was waiting for a guest in a huge living room. He came over and took her by the hand. He wore a soft suede jacket in a beautiful coffee color and an open-collared cream shirt. He leaned over and brushed his lips lightly against Claire's cheek. She caught the fresh smell of cologne, which mixed the scents of forest and mountains.
"Welcome to my house," said Nick.
- Do you understand this literally? she asked, trying to sound casual despite her inner trembling.
— What exactly? - he asked.
- The proverb "My home is my fortress"?
Nick burst out laughing.
- Not a bad joke.
- Actually, I'm shocked. When I was a little girl, I loved fairy tales. This place reminds me of the castle where Rapunzel lived. So it seems that she is sitting in a tower and braiding her golden braids.
— Well, okay, I'm glad you like this place. After all, this will soon be your home.
Her house. Their home. Claire looked away, feeling herself blush. Nick seated her on a leather sofa by the fireplace and offered her a glass of wine.
Claire remembered the rest of the evening as a kaleidoscope of vague sensual images: the crackle of the fire in the fireplace, the touch of the soft leather of the cozy deep sofa, the matte reflection of the oak tables; the mixed smell of freshly cut flowers and burning cedar; the vibrant colors of the fine oriental rugs that line the stone tiled floor; the glitter of the crystal decanter from which Nick poured her wine; the sounds of Mozart's low-pitched "Little Night Serenade" and the glow of the candles on Nick's face. Then there was an elaborate dinner: lamb with new potatoes and peas, red Burgundy wine, the clinking of silver on china, the noiseless steps of the dark-haired maid serving them. And Nick's eyes fixed on her all the time.
The ghost girl and I stood and looked at each other. Well, I looked exactly, and what exactly she was doing, I'm not so sure anymore, because the poor thing still had no eyes.
- Hello. We seem to be bound by a contract now,” I said slowly. “Do you know what that even means?”
The girl shook her head. Not negatively, but somehow contritely, or something. Yes, exactly, she was upset about something, I felt it.
- And why did the Doctor let you go so easily? I asked, trying to listen to the strange feeling of other people's emotions. - Just recently, he killed a bunch of people and demolished the church just to take you away.
In response, I received only an indefinite shrug of the shoulders and a wave of mixed feelings, the main place in which was occupied by fear. It was clearly some kind of special effect of the contract, but even with understanding the emotions of the ghost, it was quite problematic to build a dialogue, especially since I never liked association games and yes-no.
- Are you connected to this place in any way? I asked, remembering the remains we found here. There is still a trace of our excavations in the ground.
The girl nodded.
- Were you killed here?
I didn't even have to look at her. The sensation of a burning pain in the chest and resentment was enough to confirm.
- One of the Orlovs?
Pain and resentment increased manifold.
“Understood,” I drawled.
Orlovs again. I wonder if the same younger one, who has already received his own, is to blame, or do they have a whole family of killers? And by the way, since I was not far from their mansion, I should hurry up and get out of here. If the guards notice me and have time to react, then Orlov Sr. will receive a gift - the culprit in the death of his son right under the door.
I looked up at the sky, trying to get a rough idea of what time it is. Judging by the sun, the day had already crossed the middle, which meant that it would soon begin to get dark. I did not want to stay in the forest for the night at all, I already had experience, and I was not very satisfied with it, which means that I urgently need to move to the road and look for a ride. But when I was here last time, we went in a detour, and I didn’t remember exactly where.
- I need to get back to the city. Can you tell me exactly where the road is? I turned to the ghost.
The girl confidently indicated the direction with her hand.
“Thank you,” I said. - Will you come with me?
An instant, and the girl was only a meter away from me. Hell, it was much easier to communicate with her from afar, and now, seeing what was left of her face... And why can't ghosts change their appearance at will? Is it really that difficult? Show imagination, imagine and create from protoplasm, or what ghosts are made of, at least a mask on your face.
The girl seemed to feel my displeasure and responded with a wave of sadness. I definitely didn’t want to offend the poor thing, so I hurried to calm her down:
“Everything is all right,” I assured the girl. “Now let’s get out of here, and then we’ll decide what to do with the contract and how I can help you.”
It remains to solve one small problem - how to drag the body with you? And it’s okay to drag, how to catch a car with such luggage?! In any case, I did not intend to leave poor Damis here, so I had to put him on my shoulder and move very slowly in the direction indicated by the ghost.
- Can you see Creatures? I asked the girl as I walked, trying not to catch my breath.
Ta nodded in response.
- I remember that some small creatures live in this forest, something like elves, - I continued, instantly starting to suffocate. - They really like to mess with me ... Could you help me with them?
I may have started to get impudent right off the bat, but there must be some benefit from the ghost contract. I don’t have energy-conducting paper with me, there’s nothing to draw a protective rune on, and there’s not much time, so the girl is now my only hope.
Carrying the body of a boy in my condition was even harder than I thought. At the same time, my brain seemed to switch, not connecting the burden with the boy who ran between the floors of the construction site with his ghost sister and constantly teased me. This clear division occurred back in the captivity of the Rider, when numerous corpses and dead Damis lay in the next room, otherwise my mind would definitely be damaged from pain, grief and guilt. Hell, I knew from the ghost girl that it was dangerous in the clinic, but I calmly left, leaving Damis there. And here is the result - the poor mother lost her child...
Each step was given with great difficulty, and if any, even the smallest Being, attacked me now, I would definitely not be able to fight back. Fortunately, on the way to the road we never met anyone. Although a couple of times I heard some rustling behind me, I didn’t have the strength to turn around. The girl flying nearby periodically disappeared from sight, and suspicious sounds immediately disappeared. So we walked - I was nervous and struggled with weakness, and she silently dealt with some small forest creatures, after which she joyfully (I felt this emotion especially clearly) showed me their bodies, strung on sharp long fingernails. If I had a little more strength, I would have been curious about their appearance, but now, to be honest, I just didn’t care.
It seemed like an eternity before I got to the road. After a little breath, I hid the body of the boy nearby, and went to the side of the road, waiting for a ride to the city. But I forgot that cars did not pass here so often. And even those few that appeared within an hour, for some reason, were not at all eager to help the teenager standing on the forest road, rushing past at great speed.
“Hmm, and there is no phone to call a taxi,” I said ruefully, looking after the car that sped away, and turned to the ghost. - Listen, maybe you will drive to the city and call James here?
The girl shook her head.
- Can't you? Not enough strength?
In response, she defiantly swam away from me, but after about ten meters something seemed to tug at her neck. In the air, for a moment, the faint outline of a transparent chain appeared, going from my hand, on which the contract rune had previously been drawn, to the collar on the girl.
Oh wow! This suspiciously resembles the connection that the inquisitor had with the ghost of a naked man wrapped in barbed wire. Only there the ghost was constantly in pain, and here the conditions were more forgiving, but still not very pleasant for the girl. She did not like wearing a collar around her neck, like some kind of animal.
- Understood. You cannot move away from me,” I nodded understandingly and sympathetically.
Twenty minutes later another car appeared. This time it was pink, which looked rather unusual, because the size and style of the car still resembled a mixture of a predatory sports car and an armored personnel carrier. Oh, this fashion.
Seeing the car, my ghost girl on the contract went to the middle of the road and, when the pink miracle approached, she suddenly became visible. Now, watching this process right in front of me, I immediately noticed the transition from a state that is visible only to me, to a more "condensed" version. As if in Photoshop, the opacity of the image layer was increased from fifty to one hundred percent.
There was a screech of brakes and a woman's squeal. Moreover, it was not a ghost who shouted, but the driver of the pink car. Damn, I hope no one got hurt.
The car veered slightly, passed through the ghost, and stopped right in front of me. A woman of about thirty was sitting behind the wheel, quite beautiful, but too severe and, perhaps, a little old for me. Catching myself on this thought, I was horrified. Since when did I start thinking like a real teenager?! She is of normal age, I myself had the same age recently.
The lady quickly left the car and began to examine the asphalt around. After making sure that there was no body and no traces of blood, she finally turned her attention to me.
– Boy, have you seen a girl here?! she demanded. “Jumped right in front of me, I thought I killed her.” But... there was no blow. And there is no body. It is very strange.
Although the woman at first looked frightened, she quickly pulled herself together and now looked at me as if I had pushed the girl under her wheels. Maybe it was the beige trouser suit, the delicate features, or the brown hair in a teacher's ponytail, but for a moment I felt a burning desire to somehow justify myself, like a mischievous child.
- Yes, my ghost appeared in front of the car to stop you. You just need to urgently deliver me and the corpse of the boy lying over there in the grass to the city, - as I said in spirit, and grabbed my head. Hell, she didn't even ask a direct question, why did I blurt that out?!
The woman frowned and put her hands on her hips, as if she intended to scold me.
- What a stupid joke!
“No jokes,” I assured. Hell, she’s the spitting image of a teacher or a school principal, I even involuntarily straightened up and stood up straight, as if expecting to hear “don’t stoop, Mikhailov. ” - If you are afraid to take it to the city yourself, then just borrow the phone. I'll call the teacher to pick me up.
- To the teacher? the woman asked, becoming even stricter. - What school do teenagers love such stupid jokes?
- Not at school, but at the Psychic Association.
- Maybe you have a certificate? the woman asked skeptically.
“Lost,” I honestly answered.
- For some reason I thought so, - the lady took out a pink mobile phone. - Well, give me the number of this teacher of yours, it is very interesting to talk with him.
I already began to regret that I had stopped this particular car, but still I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.
- Maybe then call on the way? I asked timidly, not even imagining how this lady’s conversation with James or, God forbid, Missy could end. “The place is still dangerous.
For me, for sure, as long as we are in the immediate vicinity of the Orlovs' mansion.
“Of course I won’t leave you here,” the woman assured me, causing instead of joy only cold goosebumps of a vague foreboding of trouble. – Did you see yourself in the mirror at all? You look like you haven't eaten for a month and haven't seen the white sun for a year. Get in the car, we'll figure it out on the way.
“But the body…
“Enough of these fairy tales,” she said firmly. - If you decide to lie further, then this will not work with me. In any case, I will contact your parents and tell them everything, but honesty can still mitigate the punishment.
I could hardly restrain myself from cursing. Yes, you try to find a person more honest than me!
- But I really am a student of a medium!
- Still insisting on it? the woman asked sternly. “Be aware that if you really study at the Psychic Association and have fun directing ghosts towards cars, then you will have even more serious problems!” This is a court case!
Then she grabbed my arm surprisingly tightly.
- First and last name. From what family? Where do you really study?
To be honest, I did not expect aggression from a lady in an elegant and obviously very expensive suit so much that I was a little confused. But the ghost girl blazed with anger, and appeared between me and the woman in all her "splendor".
- Ah!! she squealed, immediately releasing my hand. – What kind of creature is this?!
“This is not a creature, but the ghost of an innocently murdered girl,” I was offended for the ghost girl. - She is not to blame for what was done to her before her death.
Although, if you think about it, after death, the girl did not behave so innocently. It is worth remembering at least the bodies of the guards from the Orlov mansion, whose bodies we found next to the hut on a tree. The ghost killed them in order to feed on strength and follow me to the city.
“My name is Roman Mikhailov,” I introduced myself belatedly. “And I really am in the Psychic Association as an apprentice. And the certificate was lost during the investigation.
The woman quickly pulled herself together, straightened her suit and said instructively:
- It is even more unacceptable for a real medium to use the soul of a murdered girl as a scarecrow. Tell her I'm not going to hurt you. And in general, as far as I remember, the charter of the Psychic Association does not allow setting ghosts on living people.
Wow, does the Association have a charter? I don't even know, James didn't say a word about it.
"It's all right," I assured the ghost. - You don't need to interfere.
The ghost girl became invisible again, and the owner of the pink car began to look at me a little differently. Without fear, but with even greater suspicion.
“But you're lying again,” she said, frowning. - Mikhailov has only a son and a daughter, Veronika and Viktor. I know them by sight.
– I am their relative… distant, arrived from afar. “By tensing up a little, I was able to squeeze some energy into the chest area to reveal the M medallion. It darkened in my eyes, but I still managed to stay on my feet. – I think this will prove my honesty better than any documents.
“Yes, it looks like the medallion is real,” the woman admitted in surprise. - But if the ghost obeys you, and you told the truth about your family, then the child's body mentioned earlier also exists?
“Of course,” I immediately replied, and suddenly I felt a strong anxiety coming from the ghost.
Turning around, I saw in the distance two green cars rushing in our direction. Intuition suggested that I had been catching a ride for too long, and the Orlovs finally noticed me, but hope dies last. Suddenly it's not them?
“The Orlovs have come,” the woman destroyed my miserable hopes. – There is their mansion nearby, they probably decided to find out what is happening here. I will talk to them.
- Are you sure it's the Orlovs? I asked doomedly.
- Of course, why don't I recognize their guards? Orlov recently lost his beloved son, so he is nervous, probably chasing them in the tail and in the mane.
She knows everything, both about the death of Orlov's son and about the Mikhailov family. Who did I stop?
“It will sound strange, but I am not allowed to meet with them,” I said quickly. “They will kill me. Therefore, if you do not want my death to be on your conscience, we need to leave here as quickly as possible.
The woman looked at me with displeasure.
- Your stupid jokes again?
- I swear! I'm ready to explain everything to you along the way, but now we have to go!
The lady surprised me by not arguing further, but immediately went to the car.
- Okay, I'm even wondering what you're going to tell me. Besides, I'm already late, and a showdown with Orlov's guards is clearly not in my plans. Get in and let's go.
I quickly ran around the pink car and opened the door, for a moment frozen in indecision, because the body of poor Damis was still lying in the bushes.
- Have you changed your mind? the woman was surprised.
“Of course not,” I answered confidently, climbing inside. Okay, the main thing for me is to get to the city, where James and Missy will help to return and pick up the body for the burial ceremony.
Of course, since the car was not cheap, runes protected it from the Creatures and ghosts.
– Excuse me, is it okay if the ghost comes with us? I asked, seeing my escort hitting the closed car door, unable to get through it.
“You can open the door and let her in,” the woman allowed. “I really hope that both of you will justify the trust placed in you and will not do any stupid things.
“Of course not,” I assured him as I opened the door.
The ghost did not sit on the seat like a material person, but simply floated into the back seat and settled down there, partially drowning in the body of the car.
We took off just as two green jeeps caught up with us. I managed to see that a security guard I already knew was driving one of them, his name was supposedly Gregory. But even though we parted quite peacefully during our last meeting near the tree house, there was no desire to communicate with him now.
“It looks like they really need you for some reason,” the woman stated with surprise. “They definitely wouldn’t chase after me.
The cars quickly overtook us, drove alongside, and Gregory gestured for us to stop. I pressed myself into the seat as best I could, hoping that they would not recognize me, but the chances of this were not very great. The lady only looked dismissively at the actively gesticulating guard and pressed the pedal to the floor.
“Some other servant will tell me what to do,” she snorted.
We quickly began to break away from the pursuers, fortunately, the jeeps even visually looked much heavier and slower than the pink sports car. And almost immediately there was a burst of machine-gun fire from behind. One of the guards leaned out through the hatch and pointedly showed that we should stop, otherwise the next shots would no longer be in the air.
- Are they completely crazy or something! – the woman was indignant. - One call from me, and they lose their license first, and then their lives. Or maybe vice versa. It depends on what mood the husband will be in.
- So maybe you should call? I asked timidly, and the ghost girl sitting in the back seat nodded approvingly. - Why pull something? Suddenly they really start shooting at us.
“Let them catch up first,” the woman dismissed. - But in general, you really need to make a call. I absolutely do not like what is happening now.
Taking out the phone with one hand, the woman looked at the screen with surprise and stated:
– No signal. Looks like we're being silenced. Apparently, one of the electrokinetic guards.
- We have already broken away from them. - Just in case, I looked in the rear-view mirror to make sure that the green jeeps were gradually falling behind.
“I don’t even understand what they are counting on,” the woman snorted. “I wonder what did you do to the Orlovs that they want to grab you so much?” Did he also play a joke, sending his ghost?
Oddly enough, in fact she was right, after all, I really sent the ghost of the girl he had killed to Orlov Jr.
- Almost. You said that Orlov had recently lost his son, - I tried to shut my mouth, but the truth still broke out: - So it was I who killed him, even if not with my own hands.
That's it, now she will definitely throw me out of the car right under the wheels of the jeeps stubbornly chasing us.
But instead of being horrified or angry, the woman suddenly smiled. For the first time in the entire time of our communication.
- If so, then I will not only forgive the stupid joke with the ghost, but I will also owe you. How long have I been waiting for someone to slap this little pervert. So many girls suffered from him, but every time daddy excused him. - She hit the steering wheel in anger. - And even I had to turn a blind eye to his presence at school, because the Orlov Security Service always cleaned up after him.
- In case you're wondering, he was torn apart by the ghost of the girl he killed.
“Oh, yes, I'm interested,” the woman assured me. – You will definitely tell me this story in all details. I hope you're telling the truth now? Otherwise, I will be very upset.
- Only the truth. Excuse me, but how did you know Orlov Jr.?
“It’s immediately obvious that you really are from afar,” my interlocutor smiled patronizingly. – My name is Alina Anatolyevna Knyazeva, I am the director of the school of secondary education in Bars. The best school in all of Gold, by the way. Your cousins and sisters learned from me just like Orlov Jr., what the hell would he want.
Some strange headmaster who rejoices at the death of a student. Although, if not only Ella, but also other girls suffered from Orlov, then she can be understood.
- There is still no connection, - in the meantime, Alina Anatolyevna checked the phone. - But Orlov's people were left far behind, the abilities of electrokinetics do not work that far. I don't understand anything.
Suddenly the phone in the woman's hands rang.
– Oh, the connection has appeared, – she was delighted, but after looking at the screen, she corrected herself in surprise: – There is no satellite signal. How does he call then? And the number is unknown.
I went cold.
- Let's not answer the phone. Just in case.
- No, I'm wondering who could call the phone without a connection, - Alina Anatolyevna said stubbornly, and pressed the button. - Ale. Who is this?
She listened to the sounds coming from the speaker for a couple of seconds, then looked at me in puzzlement and held out the phone.
- Looks like it's you.
The first impulse was to take the phone and throw it out of the window. I knew perfectly well who exactly could call me despite the lack of a network, and I had no desire to communicate with this subscriber. I'm not crazy. On the other hand, there was also a chance that it was not her after all. And it seems that Sadako should not harm through the phone, at most - work part-time as a cuckoo, telling me how much I have left to live. Let him say I'm not sorry.
“Hello,” I said, holding the receiver as far from my ear as possible. I would generally turn on the speakerphone and stick the phone somewhere outside the car window, but I didn’t want to share unnecessary information with Alina Anatolyevna if it’s not Sadako who calls, but some Doctor or Khukhlik. I didn't know exactly what they were capable of.
“Three days,” hissed from the receiver, and the next moment something dark shot straight out of the speaker, wrapped around my neck and began to squeeze it.
- What is this?! the woman exclaimed, immediately pressing the brake to the floor and trying to pull the phone away from me.
The car swerved and stopped in the middle of the road, after which a very strange phone-tugging competition began, in which my neck tightened more and more with each jerk. Realizing that this was definitely not going to help me, Alina Anatolyevna switched to the hair squeezing my neck, and that was it, but the graceful female hands just went right through.
There was not enough oxygen. I also tried in vain to grab hold of the noose from my hair, but my fingers touched only my neck. And when it was already beginning to darken in my eyes, my ghost on the contract entered the business. She waved her hand and in one motion cut off the hair sticking out of the screen with sharp nails, and Alina Anatolyevna, not at a loss, immediately opened the window and threw the phone away.
- What was that?! the woman exclaimed, looking at me with her eyes wide with fear.
“Ghost,” I answered hesitantly, breathing heavily. - Or Creature. To be honest, I don't fully understand myself. But it won't appear again. I think it was just a warning.
- Warning?!
“Or a reminder,” I amended. The devil knows what’s in Sadako’s head, maybe she was upset that I disappeared for several days in a dungeon where there were no means of communication, and it was impossible to nightmare me with calls. - Don't worry, nothing threatens you personally.
Alina Anatolyevna frowned.
– That's good, of course, but how does it threaten you?
- By death, of course. But not in the very near future. - I looked out the window and shouted: - Telephone!
Hair came out of the screen of a pink mobile phone, turning it into a kind of octopus, which crawled unsteadily towards us. As soon as she saw this miracle, the woman hit the gas, and we took off, clinging to the backs of the seats. Turning around, I saw how the phone was still trying to crawl after us, but it was clearly not able to keep up with the sports car.
– What is it?! - Alina Anatolyevna repeated the question in a slightly broken voice, when the speed exceeded one hundred kilometers per hour and the phone was left far behind. “I have never heard of anything like it. In addition, the phone is protected from ghosts by runes, and no one could get into it.
“I think it’s a Creature after all, ordinary runes don’t work against them,” I said wearily. - I'm not exactly familiar with the classification, you will need to ask the teacher, but most likely it belongs to the first class of danger. In general, we are talking about a girl living in a well and feeding on the life forces of people. For some reason, she wanted to eat me, stretching this pleasure for a week. And now she periodically reminds me of herself so that I don’t relax. But there's a benefit in letting my ghost ride with us, it seems to do a pretty good job of dealing with the Thing's attacks.
Which, by the way, I did not expect at all. A normal ghost shouldn't be able to fend off Sadako's attacks so easily, even if it's just her hair. Apparently, the girl is somewhat different from ordinary ghosts, and it was not in vain that the mysterious Doctor fought so hard for her.
While I was thinking, a woman came to her senses after an unexpected attack. Exhaling slowly, she grabbed her head and spoke like a mantra:
- There are practically no dangerous Creatures on Zolotoy, this is what distinguishes our island from the rest of the world - safety. Protective runes are everywhere, the church conducts raids, mediums,” she glanced at me, “are also intensively cleaning the cities from all sorts of dirty tricks. Even on Serebryany you can’t just go out into the street in the evening without fear of running into some kind of creature, but here you can! What you're saying sounds like nonsense!
Who knows. Attacks on mansions, wandering ghosts and poltergeists, brownies, walking corpses, bakhtaki and other Creatures led by Sadako. And that's not counting the portals from the demon dimension. How then are things on the rest of the islands and in other associations, if all of the above takes place in the safest place in the world?
“This is not nonsense, but my life,” I grunted sadly, rubbing my neck.
- Do you think she blocked the cellular network? - After a little silence, Alina Anatolyevna asked.
- Well, if Sadako can crawl through the screens of TVs and telephones, then blocking communications will definitely not be difficult for her. Although, I don't know why she would do that?
“Until this moment, I thought that Orlov’s people were still leading us, blocking communications with a drone or a very strong Specialist,” the woman said thoughtfully. “Now I’m not so sure about that anymore. In any case, we'd better speed up. Suddenly this creature will somehow be able to catch up with us.
- I understand that she can somehow move through the screens ...
The woman and I simultaneously looked at the screen of the car radio.
“No, no,” I said uncertainly. - It can't work like that.
And as if hearing my words, the screen blinked and displayed a night forest and a stone well. Another moment, and this time two strands of hair shot out of the screen, one of which tried to get into the mouth of the woman sitting behind the wheel, and the second grabbed my neck again. This time, the ghost did not hesitate, and immediately made Sadako a forced haircut under a bob, freeing Alina Anatolyevna and me. Without thinking twice, the woman immediately hit the screen with her fist, smashing it to smithereens.
“It’s good that I didn’t buy the set with screens in the backs of the chairs,” she giggled nervously, involuntarily coughing and pecking out a piece of hair from her mouth, which immediately disappeared into the air.
“I’m sorry that your car was damaged because of me,” I said guiltily. - If I had known what this would lead to, I would not have stopped your car.
- What nonsense! – the woman was indignant. “Even if your ghost didn’t jump out in front of me, I would still stop and help you. It's my job, you know, to participate in the fate of teenagers. And, by the way, about this, I definitely don’t like what Evgeny Mikhailov makes you do. This is deadly, and most importantly, I don’t see you have any special training to deal with such things.
Here she was right about something, I didn't feel this preparation myself.
This conversation was far from over. Alina Anatolyevna did not let me relax by arranging a real interrogation. And here for the first time I felt the whole complexity of communication in a situation where there is no way to avoid direct answers. The driver in captivity did not even really communicate with me, but the meticulous woman in the car, from which I could only get out by jumping at high speed, literally shook my soul out of me. Who am I, where did I come from in the Mikhailov family, how did I become a student of a medium, why am I in such a terrible physical condition.
– Did you at least finish school in your principalities or did you study at home? she asked a little jealously, obviously considering the issue of education the most important topic.
“I have finished, of course,” I replied confidently. - Average.
I knew for sure that the local education system is not very different from ours, but there was still some catch in her question.
- Do you have a certificate?
Surprisingly, Alina Anatolyevna was most interested in this particular question. The woman never even remembered what came out of her phone.
“Maybe there is somewhere,” I dodged the question as best I could. “But obviously not in this world.
Damn! The evasion happened just like that.
- That is, the head of the Mikhailov family found a poor distant relative in the principalities, brought him to Zolotaya, and sent him to study with a medium? – said the woman.
“I didn’t find it, but I came myself,” I corrected. - And I'm not poor. Maybe a little in debt, but...
- And how much do you have in your account?
- I don't have an account.
– But in the Assembly of Mediums you must be paid some kind of stipend?
I just shrugged in response.
“Somehow it all looks suspicious,” she said displeasedly. - Perhaps I should talk to Mr. Mikhailov about the fact that apprenticing an underage teenager to a medium who constantly endangers him is not a good idea in principle, and especially in your case. It is still questionable how exactly Mikhailov himself received custody of you. Where are your parents?
- No longer in this world.
“Oh, sorry,” she sincerely sympathized. - And the Mikhailovs accepted you with joy?
“Veronica – yes,” I answered, and my heart felt warm from the memories of my sister. I wish I could call her and tell her that everything is fine with me, she probably worries about me more than all her relatives. - Yevgeny Mikhailov did not communicate with me personally, and Viktor cannot stand me. But this is normal, we are not relatives.
But Laura, Donny and even Max treated me no worse than Veronica. I would like to contact them immediately after Nicky, to find out how Donny's health is, and if the doctors were able to find a cure for his sister. Well, to be honest, their fate worried me much more than the so-called "relatives" headed by Evgeny Mikhailov.
“That is,” Alina Anatolyevna said slowly. - The head of the clan accepted you into the family, but did not even meet with you personally? And immediately sent for training to a medium?
“Yes, everything is in order,” I was already starting to get rather nervous. - I myself wanted to become a medium, my abilities are conducive to this.
“I think you are just being used,” the woman said indignantly. - Knowing how Evgeny's wife died, we can assume that he is trying with your help to find what dragged her into . ..
She suddenly fell silent, listening to something.
- Where did you drag it? I asked. - How did she die?
“Hush,” Alina Anatolyevna hissed at me. – Do you hear?
Since the car window was still open, I mostly heard the rumble of tires, but now something else has been added to this sound. More amplitude and louder.
“It's a helicopter,” she said confidently. - If we're lucky, it's not to our liking, but if not...
The predatory black silhouette of a helicopter appeared unexpectedly, literally emerging from behind the trees, and without warning fired missiles further down the road. There was a loud dull explosion, and the asphalt in front of us turned into burning ruins with a huge funnel in the middle. Of course, Alina Anatolyevna immediately slammed on the brakes, and we managed to stop a moment before we drove into the hell that unfolded in front of us. The helicopter hovered right above the wake of the explosion and expressively pointed rocket launchers at us.
