Kim’s Earth: Chloe: Waking Up (part 3)

[k_a_webb]

Part 1
Part 2

“How long has it been since the injections?” I asked, wanting to know how long I’d been unconcious, and in danger, for.

“Three days,” the man I’d whacked over the head answered.

I shook my head, not so much because I didn’t believe them, but more because I couldn’t believe it had all happened so quickly. Three days seemed like no time at all and yet, as I looked at the bed I’d spent three days laying in, I realised I was lucky that someone hadn’t tried to loot my house before, because three days in the new world I’d found myself in was more than long enough for something to have happened in. Running a hand through my greasy hair I looked at both the men who were still in my bedroom, who were both staring at me in such a way that I felt like a new species that they’d just found in the desert.

“Okay…” I suddenly realised I was still in my pyjamas, from when I’d been feeling ill from the injection, and wrapped my arms around myself in an attempt to feel more comfortable. “Give me a few minutes to get dressed and pack some clothes, then I’ll come with you.” I bit my lip. “There are a couple of people I’d like to check on.”

“They’re probably going to be dead,” the man in the doorway replied, sounding matter of fact, although I could hear the pain in his voice.

For a moment I just looked at him, pushing away the urge to hug him as strongly as I could. “Kim didn’t have the injection. Her parents paid the fine, so she would still be around if the injection turned out to be dangerous in some way. I don’t think they expected to be dead, but at least it means Kim’s younger brothers have someone there to look after them, and I know where she’ll have gone if she isn’t at home.” I looked at each of them, wondering who they were, where they’d come from, and who they’d lost. “I’m Chloe.”

“I’m Jonas.” The man I’d hit managed to smiled at me, which is something I know I wouldn’t have been able to do if I’d just been attacked by someone with a hockey stick. “Its nice to meet you, Chloe, although I would have preferred it under different circumstances… and maybe with a little less violence, but I understand why you felt the need to protect yourself.”

The other man nodded. “I agree. I’m Matthew. Well, Matt, really. Only my parents still called me Matthew and they’re…”

Matt had trailed off, but I knew what he meant. It was impossible not to. Nodding, I smiled at him, and I was certain from the way he smiled back that he could see the sympathy in it. “I do still need to get dressed…” I sighed. “I don’t suppose there’s any hot running water anywhere.”

Jonas shook his head. “No water, no electricity, and no gas. We’re cooking on a fire at the moment, because we’re not sure what else to do.”

Mirrored from K. A. Webb Writing.