The tall skyline of Miami was long gone beyond the horizon. The hotels and long, golden beaches out of sight. In front of us lay woodland and green, sloping hills. A worn road reached out over the land. Potholes dotted the tarmac, making it extremely uncomfortable in the back of the rusty grey Jeep Jordan, Alistair and John had somehow managed to start.
"Jesus Christ, Alistair! Could you drive any worse?" shouted Claire. She held the back of her head with her right hand.
"Sorry, but you can't see what's behind us! If you were driving you'd be going faster!" he yelled back. John sat in the front with him, while Mary, April, Claire, Jordan and I squeezed into the back. We knew this would be a dangerous ride, and none of us wanted to chance not wearing a seatbelt. April curled up on her mother, the belt going across the two of them, Claire sat in the small middle seat and I sat on Jordan's knee. The seatbelt wasn't big enough for the two of us, so instead of me risking it Jordan tightly held his arms around my waist.
"You okay?" he asked over the madness.
"Mhm." I answered, my hands tightening around his arms, my knuckles turning a deathly shade of white.
I was almost completely recovered from the virus. All that was left was gently aching muscles, a mild headache and a hoarse throat. It was almost unnoticeable.
The travel sickness I was getting, however, was. It was the worst I'd ever felt, probably because the car was jolting around so much. I would open the window for fresh air, but the stench of the rotting city was even more sickening.
"Sure?" he asked, leaning forward slightly before being jolted back by the force of the car.
"Just feel sick." I murmured. His arms tightened around me, holding me closely against his body. He was sensationally warm, like a little haven in the hectic mess of this car. I was so close I could feel the warm breath on the back of my neck.
"It won't be long now." he whispered.
"Alistair! Watch where you're going!'' shouted John, a split second before the car took a sharp swerve to the left and barrelled over.
Everything was crashing. Glass shattering. Metal being warped beyond return.
Blood flowing. My head was spinning. My ears felt as though they had been burst. People were dying. I had to get out.
I opened my eyes to the chaos, my whole world tipped upside down. I reached out for the door handle, but the lock system was jammed. I screamed in frustration. Why wouldn't the door open?
The blood was rushing to my head and I began to feel light headed. I raised my foot up and slammed it down onto the window, sending tiny pieces of glass flying over the grass outside. I shifted myself of the floor and through the small gap, cutting my clothes and myself in the process. I collapsed under my body weight once I was out, panting.
Everything was silent.
"Jordan?" I asked, turning around to face the car. "April? Mary?" I questioned. Nothing. The silence was terrifying, sending tremors through my body.
"No, no, no, no... Jordan!" I yelled, grabbing his bloody arm. He was covered in shattered glass, small pieces jutting out from his skin. His T-shirt may as well not have been there, and his trousers were torn to shreds almost. I tried to pull him out, but my weak arms struggled to pull the weight of a fully grown man out of a car. His seatbelt was undone, Claire's hand covering the release mechanism.
"Jordan!" I shouted, slowly dragging him out through the jagged window. He gave a small, low groan as his eyes edged open, and he began helping by pushing himself out.
