Tin Man:002

Read part 1:  Bruised and Unplugged

Headaches

Fear traps my breath in my chest.  A coffin for the next few moments.  My heart socks my chest like it’s fight night.

A plug?  Oh God…  where’s my wife, my car, my… what’s going on? “Hello?”  My voice scratches.  I cough.  Rubbing my throat with my fingers, I rasp, “Is anyone there?”

My eyes strain in the blinking light.  My head aches.  I swing my feet off the table, one foot on the ground.  Crumbling dirt between my toes, I drop my next foot down.

The building shudders.  The ceiling coughs dust and dirt all over.  I drop down to the ground.  A siren squeals.  A red light flashes.

This is crazy! “Hello?  Hello?  Is anyone there?”

Pressing my hands against my ears, I stand and move toward the tunnel-like hall.  In the lull of the siren, shouts rise up.  Flashlights coming down the hall.  Shouting.  Sirens.  Flashing lights.

I can’t understand them.  Men’s voices scream at me.

“I don’t understand.  What?”

A flash of a gun barrel.  My hands shoot above my head.  “Whoa.  Whoa!  I don’t understand.  Where am I?  Hello?”

They don’t understand.    I am going to die.  My wife…

Sharp pain stabs the back of my head.  Flash of white.  I’m on the ground.  They’re still yelling.  I touch the wound… there’s no blood.  There shou—something smashes into my face.  Blackness.  Silence.