her. The squad of dazed men separated us, and we didn't have time to waste. Kim and Celeste were headed to the rear of the truck and I realized that they were going to get in the back while I drove. That is, if I could stay alive.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I said over and over as I scurried to the driver's side. The helicopters above were moving in an attempt to get a better shot as I got to the truck. I looked back at the men that Celeste had knocked down and saw them scrambling to get back up. I fired into them as I opened the door. A sniper took a shot, and the bullet hit the truck's door, causing it to pull out of my grip and close again. There was a hole in the door where the bullet had passed through and I continued to curse as I opened it again.
I got the truck started as fast as possible and prayed that the girls had made it into the back. For some reason, the soldiers weren't willing to shoot at Celeste, which gave me hope that Kim would be okay. That same stroke of luck didn't apply to me though, and I knew I was a target for every soldier here as I pushed down on the gas pedal.
The snipers didn't waste any time shooting at me, and the windshield burst into a mosaic as the first bullet came through. The cushion beside me was hit and I cowered from the view of the sniper as the truck started to move. I pressed myself against the door and got as low as I could while still holding the wheel. I don't think I ever stopped cursing as the truck lumbered over the uneven terrain.
Then my door opened.
I was shocked as my head flopped out of the vehicle. There was a soldier holding onto the side, perched on the footrest as we drove across the field. He wasn't expecting me to half-fall out of the truck any more than I was, and he stared down at me in surprise. I let go of the wheel and punched him in the chest, right in the metal plate. It felt like I was hitting the side of a building and my knuckle crunched against his armor.
He started to pull me out of the truck, but then there was a violent crash that caused the door to slam against my head. The window shattered and bits of glass fell down on me as I struggled to understand what had happened. My vision swirled with flashing lights and every time I blinked it seemed like it took far too long for the darkness to dissipate. I was stunned and there was warm liquid coursing across my face.
I smelled something burning.
I let go of the steering wheel and touched the blood on my face. Then I felt as if I were tumbling through the air, but I was still pressed against the seat. I was confused by the sensation, but then I heard the tires on the right side of the truck squealing as they bore the weight of the entire vehicle. I suddenly understood what was happening: the truck was about to overturn.
When the soldier had pulled me out of the truck, I inadvertently tugged the steering wheel to the side, which caused us to cascade up the side of a hill. We must've hit a tree, which caused the door to slam on my head and knocked the soldier off, and now we were teetering on the right side wheels.
I'd never heard a truck overturn before, and it was hard to believe that it could be as loud as it was. The entire frame of the vehicle seemed to scream out as we leaned to the side. Then it started to shake, like an animal overcome with fear, and the tires bounced while the glass around me sprinkled down, tinkling across the dashboard.
I looked out the passenger side window and saw the grass below speeding toward me until it blacked out the view. We thudded and I slid down the seat as the tumultuous ride came to an end. The truck's bellowing, wrenching steel finally settled as we slid to a stop. The trailer crashed down after, and I felt the vibration under me.
There was blood everywhere, and I marveled at my hands. They were dripping, and the sight amazed me. Had I been shot? Was all this blood from the door hitting me?
Why did I smell smoke?
Why was it so fucking hot in there?
I
"Fuck, fuck, fuck," I said over and over as I scurried to the driver's side. The helicopters above were moving in an attempt to get a better shot as I got to the truck. I looked back at the men that Celeste had knocked down and saw them scrambling to get back up. I fired into them as I opened the door. A sniper took a shot, and the bullet hit the truck's door, causing it to pull out of my grip and close again. There was a hole in the door where the bullet had passed through and I continued to curse as I opened it again.
I got the truck started as fast as possible and prayed that the girls had made it into the back. For some reason, the soldiers weren't willing to shoot at Celeste, which gave me hope that Kim would be okay. That same stroke of luck didn't apply to me though, and I knew I was a target for every soldier here as I pushed down on the gas pedal.
The snipers didn't waste any time shooting at me, and the windshield burst into a mosaic as the first bullet came through. The cushion beside me was hit and I cowered from the view of the sniper as the truck started to move. I pressed myself against the door and got as low as I could while still holding the wheel. I don't think I ever stopped cursing as the truck lumbered over the uneven terrain.
Then my door opened.
I was shocked as my head flopped out of the vehicle. There was a soldier holding onto the side, perched on the footrest as we drove across the field. He wasn't expecting me to half-fall out of the truck any more than I was, and he stared down at me in surprise. I let go of the wheel and punched him in the chest, right in the metal plate. It felt like I was hitting the side of a building and my knuckle crunched against his armor.
He started to pull me out of the truck, but then there was a violent crash that caused the door to slam against my head. The window shattered and bits of glass fell down on me as I struggled to understand what had happened. My vision swirled with flashing lights and every time I blinked it seemed like it took far too long for the darkness to dissipate. I was stunned and there was warm liquid coursing across my face.
I smelled something burning.
I let go of the steering wheel and touched the blood on my face. Then I felt as if I were tumbling through the air, but I was still pressed against the seat. I was confused by the sensation, but then I heard the tires on the right side of the truck squealing as they bore the weight of the entire vehicle. I suddenly understood what was happening: the truck was about to overturn.
When the soldier had pulled me out of the truck, I inadvertently tugged the steering wheel to the side, which caused us to cascade up the side of a hill. We must've hit a tree, which caused the door to slam on my head and knocked the soldier off, and now we were teetering on the right side wheels.
I'd never heard a truck overturn before, and it was hard to believe that it could be as loud as it was. The entire frame of the vehicle seemed to scream out as we leaned to the side. Then it started to shake, like an animal overcome with fear, and the tires bounced while the glass around me sprinkled down, tinkling across the dashboard.
I looked out the passenger side window and saw the grass below speeding toward me until it blacked out the view. We thudded and I slid down the seat as the tumultuous ride came to an end. The truck's bellowing, wrenching steel finally settled as we slid to a stop. The trailer crashed down after, and I felt the vibration under me.
There was blood everywhere, and I marveled at my hands. They were dripping, and the sight amazed me. Had I been shot? Was all this blood from the door hitting me?
Why did I smell smoke?
Why was it so fucking hot in there?
I
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