[Horror Tales] Caterpillar C7 Engine at Midnight

2. Whispers in the Machine Shop

The door to the machine shop was rusted and cracked, and it creaked harshly as it opened. The air was filled with the smell of diesel and rust, like the smell of stale blood.

In the corner, the legendary C7 engine stood silently. It was massive, heavy, and its surface was covered in cracks, yet it remained intact. Its six cylinders stared at the two who entered like a row of dead eyes.

"How come this thing is still so intact?" Old Zhang swallowed.

Lin Tao approached, shining his flashlight on the engine. Suddenly, he heard a faint humming sound, like the engine's heartbeat. But when he turned around, there was only the sound of wind.

"Maybe it's an illusion," he consoled himself.

However, as the two men prepared to disassemble it, a faint knocking sound came from the engine's casing, like someone scratching with fingernails inside.

3. Midnight Startup

On the first day, they only removed a few parts. As night fell, the wind howled, and the mining area seemed to come alive. As Lin Tao was rummaging through his tools, he suddenly heard a low roar from behind the engine.

He spun around, and the C7 had actually started on its own.

Without fuel or batteries, it churned in the darkness, the pistons thumping in the cylinders. Blue flames spilled from the exhaust, illuminating the entire machine room.

Old Zhang collapsed to the ground in fear, his voice trembling, "It, it's out of oil!"

The roar gradually shifted in pitch, like countless people screaming. Lin Tao stared intently at the engine, and unexpectedly, he saw blurry faces emerging from the flames—empty eyes, mouths gaping, as if calling for help.

Suddenly, the flames died, and the engine returned to silence. Only the strong smell of oil and a faint fishy odor filled the air.

4. The Legend of the Missing Worker

Old Zhang was so frightened he refused to work, but Lin Tao persuaded him, "There's something fishy going on with this engine, but the client's asking price is too high. We can't go home empty-handed."

That night, he found an old logbook in his hut in the mining area. It read:

"The C7 engine tested abnormally. After starting, a scream was heard. The fuel system seemed to be sucking something it shouldn't have. Worker Old Li... disappeared, leaving only a pool of black oil."

Lin Tao's palms were sweating. It turned out this wasn't the first time someone had been devoured by it.

5. Devourment

The next day, they continued dismantling the engine. Old Zhang was emotionally unstable, constantly muttering about leaving. In the afternoon, the engine suddenly vibrated and emitted a low roar.

"Quick! Stop!" Old Zhang dropped his tools and ran.

However, a black mist erupted from the engine, enveloping him. Old Zhang screamed as he was sucked into the cylinder, vanishing like compressed air. Only the wrench fell to the ground with a clang.

Lin Tao was stunned. The engine slowly quieted, as if burping contentedly after swallowing its prey. A few drops of thick, reddish-black liquid spilt from the oil tank.

VI. The Horrifying Truth

Lin Tao finally realized that this was no ordinary machine. The C7 engine required no fuel; its source of power was human life.

The so-called "fuel injection system" was actually a channel for devouring souls.

The sturdy cylinders weren't made of steel, but rather a cage for the dead.

Every start was a sacrifice.

He tried to escape, but the engine roared like a monster. The iron door closed automatically, and the machine room seemed like an altar.

The flames flared again, revealing Old Zhang's face, shrouded in pain and despair. Then, more faces appeared—those miners who had disappeared years before, all trapped within this engine, burning forever.

VII. The Final Choice

Lin Tao knew he couldn't escape. Trembling, he pulled out his lighter, overturned a bucket of diesel, and ignited it. Flames instantly engulfed the entire engine room.

"Let's die together!" he roared.

Boom! Flames shot up into the sky, and the engine room collapsed. Lin Tao's screams were drowned out by the explosion.

VIII. Epilogue

A few months later, a group of explorers stumbled upon the ruins. They were astonished to find, in the center of the rubble, a perfectly intact Caterpillar C7 engine.

It stood quietly, its surface clean, without a single burn mark.

When the wind blew, it trembled gently, like the beating of a heart.

Someone leaned in to listen, and a faint whisper emanated from the engine:

"...Save me...Save me..."