Lost in World

Chapter 3

I woke up the next morning with a feeling of dread. I stumbled into the bathroom, running my hand through my chestnut hair. I turned the water heater on, unprepared to feel sick for days after days. Maybe this time I’ll die. I jumped into the shower, the water piping hot. Rudy banged his fist roughly on the door, signaling my time was up. I let my face soak in the shower spray for a second before quickly getting out.

            Rudy shoved past me angrily. I think he hated days like this more than I did. It reminded him the Rodingur had complete control over us. He hadn’t accepted defeat yet, and I didn’t think he ever would. I have, at least five years ago. I’ve also forgiven Rudy for bringing me here. I never told him that I blamed him for us being stuck in this situation. If I ever did he would get mad and that would really suck since we were each others only friends; only possible friends.

            “Dude, you have no personality,” Rudy grumbled as he walked past me in the kitchen, “this place totally butchered you.”

            “Hasn’t done anything to you,” I muttered, “You still complain with no end.”

            Rudy just grinned at me. The bowl on the table still held the disoriented fish, unsure of which way it should go. It was swimming slower now and I knew the drop would kill it. I grabbed the fish and tossed it in the toilet, flushing it down. That would send it back into the ocean, presumably unharmed; I know it’s gross.

            “Ready for a ride, lovelies,” the voice came onto the speaker. Rudy glared upwards and I fell face first onto the couch, overwhelmed.

            I felt the pod quiver and then lurch before slowly gliding downwards. I placed my face in my hands. My ears popped sharply and I saw Rudy shake his head in the corner of my eye. I felt a familiar pressure push on me from all sides. Suddenly, the pod began to shake crazily. I jumped to my feet but the shaking caused me to lose my balance and fall on my hands and knees. Rudy was clutching onto the counter.

            “What’s happening?” Rudy yelled.

            The speaker had turned on and I knew the scientist was trying to communicate but all I could hear was microphones squeals and fuzz. The whole place shuddered then, without warning, everything fell onto the roof. I gasped as my head smacked into the ceiling fan. I saw red spots everywhere I looked and I shakily pushed myself into a sitting position. The roof, which was now the floor, was covered with anything in the cab that was loose. It was like the pod had flipped around and fell upside down, but we would have felt it if it did. It was more like gravity suddenly changed directions.

            “Zeke?” I heard Rudy call weakly.

            I looked up abruptly, which made my eyes swirl dizzily. Rudy lay splayed out in the middle of the roof, the heavy metal table crushing his lower half. He grunted incoherently, his head shaking back and forth. I ran up to the table, shoving it over with all my might. Using the adrenaline from the moment I shoved the table off of him and Rudy groaned in pain. His lower leg was shattered, and it looked like one of his femurs was fractured.

            “Are you okay? Can you feel your legs?” I asked quickly, moving the rubble away from Rudy.

            “Yes,” Rudy grunted through clenched teeth.

            Then it all clicked. We had changed gravity. We must have passed the center of the gravity force. That’s why the fish didn’t know which way to swim, because it was trapped in it. That’s why we fell on the roof. I have to tell Rodingur. I ran to the intercom. The microphone was laying on the floor in pieces. I growled in frustration.

            A large whoosh sounded outside the pod and the cab rocked half hazardly. Bubbles were shooting up around the windows and I ran up to one, pressing my face to it, absolutely dreading the thought of a puncture in the cab. Suddenly, the cab was smacked, throwing me half way across the room. Rudy yelled in pain, his voice hoarse and weak. We looked up at the porthole and red was the only picture it held.

            “What is that?” Rudy cried incoherently.

            A black slit moved around the red until it was peering straight at us, veins of yellow shooting through it. A green cover flipped over the red and popped back up. Rudy and I were completely silent for a moment, pondering the sight. Then realization hit me like a speeding bus.

            “It’s an eye!” I cried, jumping into Rudy’s arms, who grunted and pushed me off.

            The thing swam by, it’s shiny green scales glinting in the window. Rudy looked at me with fright, his eyes wider than I’ve even seen them. Thump! Something smacked into the cab and a shattered bowl was thrown at my head. I barely ducked before it took my head off and it annihilated the wall. The pod was hit again, throwing Rudy against the wall and knocking him out cold. A very  loud hissing was screaming from somewhere in the pod.

            “This is madness,” I mumbled in shock, pulling myself through the cab shakily.

            I suddenly noticed that the pod was moving quickly upwards when my ears popped painfully and my stomach lurched. We were moving towards the surface of the water, fast. But had gravity changed? Where were we going? The pod hit the water’s surface with such speed it threw me off my feet and I nailed the wall, right where the vent was. I remember seeing a lot of red before everything shut off into darkness.

            **

            I was walking through a grassy meadow. Everything was bright and cheery. Large butterflies fluttered around me, landing on the blooming lilies. The sun shone brightly. It had just rained and all the raindrops on the flowers shone brilliantly. A crystal waterfall was nearby and the spray landed on me refreshingly. I heard a clear, beautiful voice. It sang softly and I turned to it. It rang around the meadow. I walked along the line of trees, the inside of them grey and gloomy. The song remained clear and perfect as I ran along the meadow. I suddenly reached an alley between the trees. The woods seemed to be made out of black and white. A girl was in the woods, her long raven like hair covering her lips. Her voice quivered as the melody rung strong from her. I stepped into the woods and roots twisted up my leg, immobilizing me. The girl looked up frantically. She had stopped singing but the melody continued. She reached out to me, her face distorted into utter fear. A wind was blowing up around me and I saw a flash of grey and black. Vines flung out and wrapped around me, tying me into spot. I saw long fangs in the corner of my eye, dripping with drool. A huge wolf prowled in front of me, its eyes flashing dangerously. It stood in front of me, tense and angry. The room had turned into a raging storm and hail pelted me in the face. The wolf howled horrifically. It pounced at me, its gaping jaw aimed for my face, ready to snap.

            I awoke, covered head to toe in sweat, before drifting off instantly.