MicroHorror

A dull ache in Tom’s belly caused him to open his eyes. His thoughts were convoluted and all but the base urge to fill his empty stomach were insubstantial. He pulled himself up to his knees with some effort and oriented himself. Tom’s head swam and he could barely control his limbs, which seemed heavy and stiff. He managed to get his right foot out in front of him and pitched himself onto that leg nearly tumbling back. Flailing his limbs he managed to maintain his balance and start lunging forward awkwardly. He looked down to see his left leg was broken and he was standing on his ankle. Feeling no pain he forgot about it and managed to stumble forward. He was on a road choked with cars that were all stopped in haphazard directions. Some were turned sideways, crashed into one another, some were still idling quietly, and a few further up seemed to be on fire, belching black smoke into the air.

Tom approached a car with its door open and began to crawl inside but forgot what he was looking for. The ache reminded him that he was hungry and he began rooting for food. He tried to open the glove compartment but couldn’t quite get his fingers to work the latch. Giving up he stumbled out of the car and fell backwards bumping into a woman. They both tumbled off the road and into a drainage ditch. Spinning his arms wildly he tried to gain purchase in the slippery red stream that was flowing downhill. They both stood and stared at each other.

As if trying to remember a dream, the woman’s face almost touched a memory but was held just out of his reach. Her face though scratched and bloody was beautiful and a word came to his lips. The sound that emanated from his throat however was unlike any words he knew.

“Mmmmuuuuughhhh!” He groaned and smiled. Guttural and raw, the noise was like a moaning belch. She cocked her head and it nearly rolled off being only suspended by wisps of tendon and she merely gurgled through her torn throat. She reached up and propped her head back on her shoulders and held it there. They both began plodding across the field that lined the highway and he felt her hand grasp his. They looked at one another for a moment, then began silently heading west.