The heavy impact with the ground briefly knocked Eucali unconscious. By the time she heard someone calling her name again, danger was already close at hand.
Hazel clung to the broken window frame on the second floor, urging Eucali to wake up as loudly as she could. Not far away, another wave of Killing Machines was approaching, the sound drawing nearer and nearer. They were practically about to pass the mouth of this street.
Eucali staggered to her feet. Blood poured from the side of her forehead, soaking her hair.
"Eucali, jump! Grab me!" Hazel gripped the wall with both hands, hanging half her body in the air as she stretched one leg toward Eucali.
Eucali's eyes were bruised dark, and the world before her was still swaying. She heard gunfire, and she heard Hazel's suggestion. Even before she could make sense of the situation, her body had already instinctively begun seeking help. Holding her head, she looked up and reached for Hazel's leg. Before she could take a step forward, a burly man charging over from elsewhere rammed Eucali to the ground again and seized Hazel's ankle.
"Let go! You bastard!" Hazel snapped.
"Shut up, old hag! Pull me up!"
Hazel gathered her strength and kicked him squarely in the face. He cried out and fell back down.
At the street corner, the gray-white block-shaped killer cars had entered everyone's view. One of them turned toward the street where Eucali was, rapidly spraying bullets at several groups fleeing down the road.
"Eucali, hurry! Grab me!"
Before she finished speaking, a burst of bullets struck the brick wall diagonally in front of Eucali. Flying shards grazed her skin. She jumped several times, but failed to catch Hazel's foot.
There were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the street.
"Take care of