Chapter 3

Bang!...Bang!...Bang!...Bang!

The loud sound of gunshots woke Alyssa up as her body jerked at each one, 'What the…' it took her a second to realize where she was and what had happened to her, but when she tried to sit up she ended up banging her already aching head on the carpet of the trunk causing her to reach her hand up and grab the blood dried cloth that wrapped her head. Her whole body ached as she tried to look around in the dark trunk catching a sliver of light coming from in-between the backseat she crawled through.

"Hershel I think I heard something in there!"

A woman's voice sounded causing Alyssa to jump in surprise. Someone was outside, Someone Alive. Quickly so as not to miss her chance Alyssa pushed against the back of the seat she had crawled through to try and get to the woman who spoke, but it wouldn't budge. 'Oh please tell me this opens up from this side!' she thought as she pushed again and again but with no avail. Figuring her legs would be stronger she positioned herself with her hands on the trunk opening and her feet at the back of the seat. With all of her might she pushed and kicked the door making a tremendous amount of noise but only getting it open a fraction of the way, either the seat was stuck or something was blocking her way.

"Ah! Hershel there is someone back there! They're tryin' to get out!" The woman spoke again sounding frightened at the noise Alyssa was making in the trunk.

"Step back away from the car Annette" this one came from a man, by the sound of his voice he was an older man.

When Alyssa heard the words leave the man's mouth she panicked thinking she was never going to get out of this trunk, "Please help me!" she screamed through the small opening she had made, when she did though she caught a rank odor coming from the back of the car causing her to look through the opening and stare at the crazed person from last night wedge into the backseat. She looked closer and seen a large hole in the back of the things head displaying all the blood and brains sprayed on her backseat. Backing away from the putrid sight Alyssa leaned back on her aching arms and positioned her feet to kick the back seat again, "Please let me out!" she screamed while kicking the seat earning another terrified scream from the woman.

"Annette! Quite down before more of them people show up. And you!" the man said kicking the trunk of the car making Alyssa stop and listen, "Are you bit?"

Sweat soaked Alyssa's clothes as she answered him, "No! Please let me out!" panting the words as the heat and her fear mixed together causing her to panic feeling as if the inside of the truck was closing in on her. "I can't breathe in here. Please!" her voice pleaded sounded pathetic and dry to her own ears, making her hope it would make them feel pity for her.

Instead of an answer all Alyssa heard was quieted arguing coming from the pair outside. Only able to catch little bits of the argument she gathered that the woman, Annette, wanted to leave her here because she was scared they wouldn't make it back to their home without attracting more of the crazed people. While the man, Hershel, didn't want to leave her saying it was cruel and inhuman of them, that they should at least try to help her.

All of Alyssa's struggling and heavy breathing had caused the trunk to become even more hot and stuffy making her panic even more causing her to start kicking the backseat again desperately trying to get out of the trunk fearing they would never come to a conclusion or worse that they would leave her here.

"You have to calm down or you will pass out from the heat and lack of oxygen!" Hershel yelled into the trunk trying to make Alyssa stop, but his words only fueled her need to escape causing her to cry with each kick as she felt her body ache from the day before and her actions now.

"Damn it, we have to get her out of there." Hershel said but Alyssa barely even registered he said anything at all as she continued kicking her legs causing fire to run through her muscles and chest with each movement and breath. The sensible part of her mind told her to stop what she was doing, to listen to Hershel that he was going to get her out of here. While the more irrational, and dominant, part of her mind screamed for her to take action, to do whatever it took to get out of this trunk.

With no warning given the trunk gave way underneath Alyssa letting her fall backwards and knock her head against the ground as she rolled out of the trunk. Lying still on the soft ground with her eyes scrunched closed at the glaring sun she gulped greedily at the fresh air trying to soothe her burning lungs, all but forgetting about the people who released her from the trunk.

"Hershel! There's more of 'em coming!" Annette harshly whispered from somewhere to the right of Alyssa, she couldn't see where they were around her yet as her eyes had not adjusted to being in the light. Suddenly out of thin air she felt a rough pair of hands touch her sweaty, bloodied head turning it from right to left, "She doesn't seem to be bit, but I can check better when we get home. Can you get up by yourself?" Hershel asked her trying to pull her up in a sitting motion.

Squinting up towards the older man Alyssa couldn't tell if he was real or if she was hallucinating. The light around him seem to shine brightly as if it was angelic and his face looked worried but his eyes looked down at her in a sort of sadness that suggested she was dying. Wanting to do as he asked she tried sitting up gripping his shoulders for support but her muscles and head protested as she fell back to the ground with a soft thud.

Looking back towards him with tears in her eyes she murmured a pathetic, "I'm sorry…" as she started to close her eyes she turned her head away from him not wanting to see feel his sad gaze upon her anymore, but when she turned her head she saw a man limp towards them with his arm missing and part of his mouth gone as well. Feeling Hershel start to pick her up she knew he didn't know what was coming behind him, but before she had time to say anything blackness swallowed her as she heard Annette scream and a gunshot go off…