Red Sickle

1. Welcome

It's upside down.

Everything is upside down.

The top of the snow-covered pine trees were pointing down while behind it shined the sun in a mocking beautiful way. As if the passenger inside the crashed car weren't fighting for their lifes.

On a cliff side near an abandoned street the car was balancing between life and death. The broken tires were pointing up to the sky while the car roof was barely holding on a small rocky ledge.

Inside the deadly metal box sat Germany on the driver's seat. Her seat belt was the only thing preventing her from falling down against the car ceiling.

Germany watched in fear at the view of the abyss. She couldn't move and she couldn't get out of the car. In desperation she slowly turned her head to see the passenger sitting next to her. He was like the detective upside down, but unconscious. Small droplets of blood drip from the wound on his forehead. Germany tried to think of why the airbags didn't activate, but in this desperate situation she couldn't find any answer. It's a miracle that they both are still alive.

She tried to calm her racing heart while staring back at the infinite depth. No one would find them in the middle of nowhere. She had to make a decision. Staying like this will only bring both of them to their deaths. However if she decide to escape then she wouldn't get enough time to save her friend before the car will lose its balance.

Germany gulped nervously and pressed her left arm against the roof using as a support to prevent herself from injuring her head and her right hand glided up to the buckle. Her finger placed on the button. She took a deep breath, tensed her muscles and pushed the release button.

Underestimating the gravitation she dropped down and the car creaked as it leaned forward downhill. "NO NO NO!" Germany shrieked and desperately crawled to the backside.

The vehicle stopped because of the change of weight. Completely pale Germany waited to guarantee that the car won't move again. As the silence gave her the sign that it's safe for now, she breathed out relieved and looked around. In the backside was nothing that could have helped her. To her surprise the side windows were still in piece.

That's not good as the windows were the only exit to escape without risking the car to slide down. She had to break the windows.

Her eyes wandered to the glove compartment. With small careful movements she crawled forward to it. Stopping whenever the car made a sound. She stretched forward as far as possible and slowly reached to the glove compartment.

Carefully she managed to open it and the content inside spill out. Some pens, papers and other small stuff fell, including a small red plastic hammer with a metal tip.

Luckily she managed catch the small emergency hammer. With that Germany is able to break the window next to her and get out from this death trap.

With caution she crawled back and hold the hammer against the glass of the door. She knew as soon she breaks the glass she would have only seconds to escape before the car will fall of the cliff. She glances over to her friend a last time.

He still didn't wake up and if Germany would try to release his belt, then his weight would push the car down to their death. She had to sacrifice him for her own savety.

Tears started to form on the corner of her eyes as she spoke to her friend in a scared shivering voice, "I'm sorry."