A World Apart

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Logan

When my eyes open again, the world is upside down and shimmering. What's happened? What's going on? I try to turn my head but only end up emitting a strangled groan when I find I can't. My hand reaches to tear away the thing constricting my chest but I'm too disoriented to find it. I keep trying though, because my head feels like it's about to explode and I can't breathe like this. It's only when I kick my legs out, feel them hanging above me, do I realize the world isn't upside down, I am.

It's too bright for me to see and everything is blurry. Heavy sunlight bounces off the ocean of shattered glass that surrounds me, blinding, as I try to blink away the confusion. The ringing in my ears begins to fade and a new piercing sound takes over it. Only when I strain to listen do I realize it's someone screaming out my name.

It takes my arms a minute to understand the directions I want them to go. Up is down and down is up. Eventually I manage to find the seatbelt latch. I don't think to cushion my fall though as I rip it out and the rest of my body comes crashing down. Shards of glass scratch at my bare skin as I scramble to try and orient myself. Every movement is accompanied with a lurch of dizziness though, so once I've managed to get on my hands and knees I hold myself still.

For some reason the ground is wet. At first I think it might be blood, but when I suck in a breath of air, I'm assaulted with the stench of gas. One of the spare tanks from the boot must have broken open, maybe even all of them. The fumes are so overpowering I'm worried I might pass out again soon, but I can't bring myself to move just yet.

I'm vaguely aware of movement somewhere else inside the car. There's a groan followed by the sound of what I think is a door being pushed open. I can barely hold my head up long enough to throw one glance around and see that I'm the only one left inside. Then everything's quiet again except for the pounding in my head and my ragged breaths. There's another sound, too. One that's growing louder. At first I thought it was coming from my chest, a scratchy wheeze, but when I hold my breath I realize it's coming from my right. Somewhere outside.

Only once a shadow blocks out the light do I recognize the noise as feet crunching over broken glass. I turn my head to look out the shattered windscreen to see who's come to help me, but I can't hold my head up for longer than a few seconds without feeling like I'm going to be sick. I barely get a glimpse of their outline before I'm looking back down at the floor again. From what I saw though, I doubt they'll be able to help me much. They looked as unsteady on their feet as I feel.

"Stella?" I groan. From the corner of my eye I see the figure bend down. "Is everyone OK?"

A gargled hiss responds and suddenly I'm full of adrenaline, because only now do I remember what made us crash. A quick glance is all I spare to see the infected squirming towards me on its stomach. I start to crawl forward just as an arm extends through the windshield. I've almost made it to the door when my foot catches on something. When I look to see what it is, I'm backtracking to reach for it. The shotgun. By the time it's in my hands, the infected's fingers have dug into my shoulder.

There's not enough room for me to swing the gun out, so I try to yank myself out of its reach instead. This only drags it closer towards me until it's upside down head is inches away from my face. I throw my hand out at the lump of bone sticking out from its broken neck and hold it at bay while I try to crawl closer to the door. I have no idea how I'm going to open it, but thankfully I don't have to.

As soon as I reach the door it's ripped open and hands are pulling me out. It takes a few attempts to get up on my feet, and once I am I'm not sure it'll last long. The world is still spinning at a dangerous pace.