Rolling into the Fossil Foods gas and mini mart, Roger’s hands ached. He’d been holding the wheel too tight; he always held the wheel tightly when he was stressed. The object of his stress was the redheaded tart bound in the back of his van, who should also maybe be gagged. Stopping at the pump farthest from the doors of the establishment, Roger slowly worked to dislodge his fingers from the wheel. Once his hands were free, he pushed them back through his hair slowly, trying to find his center of calm.
Elliott was leaning over the back of the last set of bench seats. “You think that putting these blankets over her is okay? I mean, what if she gets too hot?”
“Then for Pete’s sake, she might snuff it and I don’t have to listen to her beg not to be raped!” Rodger barked back.
“Roger, she’s had a very traumatic day, you need to be a little nicer to her.”
From below the muffle of blankets, Shavian’s voice came through. “I’ve had a traumatic day because of you!”
Looking down into her cup Junie frowned. “I need more coffee!” She pulled open the side door and jumped out. “Anyone want anything?”
“I want a new phone, Blondie!” Shavian said, kicking her legs into the back hatch.
“I sure hope they aren’t using some robusta bean, it should be illegal to even sell that stuff in the US,“ Junie said, seeming to be ignoring everyone in her quest for the next cup.
Watching Junie walk off, Roger sighed and pulled himself out of the driver’s seat to go fill up. “You two will be chipping in for the gas right, my boy?” He pulled out his wallet and looked through his cards till he found his gas card.
Eyes getting big, Elliott mumbled something about needing a restroom and hurried off around the corner. “Wait, who is going to look after the raging teenager tied up in back?” Shaking his head he turned around to push his card in the pump and froze as he came eye to eye with the older woman who was using the pump across from him.
Trying to not make a big deal out of it, he slowly put his card in and pulled it out. After getting approval he turned away slowly and started to fill up. The last thing that boy is going to have to worry about is some zombies, because I’m going to kill him!
Junie was back first, her cup filled and then four more cups all in a carrier.
“You brought us all coffee?” Roger asked.
Looking over confused, she asked, “Did any of you want coffee?”
Roger shook his head and grumbled under his breath about how he was going to get stuck with the whole gas bill. He started to put the pump away when he found that he was still being watched by the woman. He said nothing to her, just put the handle back and waited for his receipt: he always got the receipts so he could keep his books balanced. He hated the idea of not knowing where his money was going. Then behind him, Shavian started kicking the back door of the van making all the windows rattle. This caused the woman’s eyes to go wide and take a few steps back.
“Ahh, haha, you know, my sister, very disturbed. Can’t take the lass anywhere without her nurse,” Roger tried to explain.
That didn’t seem to help because the woman looked like she was going to scream now. He didn’t think that he was that bad a speaker, was he? Turning around he found what had turned the woman to fright: Shavian’s red hair tousled about her face as she beat on the window with her hands that were tied together with very visible neon white rope.
“And thus concludes our gas stop,” Roger grumbled and stormed for the driver’s door, but just before he opened it he walked back over to the pump, pulling the printed receipt. Elliott was back and frowning around at the scene.
“Shavian what are you doing up?” Then looking beyond the far window of the van, “Why is that lady talking franticly into her phone?”
“Elliott my boy, close the door. One day we are going to teach you the difference between, yes, no, and call the cops.”
The woman was looking on as the van pulled out of the gas station as quickly as the wheezing V6 could pull it. “Yeah they’re heading south.” The woman paused, then said, “And you’re not going to believe this: I think I just saw the blond one pelting the red haired girl with a plastic toy cellphone.”