PetrA

Chapter forty-four: Gemma

Gemma stared out of the window as they drove following the marks left for them. She was slightly tired of the twins. Scrap that, she was extremely tired off them. "Come on! We're still hungry." They complained for the hundredth time since she'd fed them that same morning. She hit them hard over the heads with a metal spoon and glared at them. "SHUT UP!" the twins sulked and went to their bunks still moaning about being hungry and wanting a shower. Gemma who had to force herself not to murder them slammed down a bowl in front of Kim who'd just shown up. He'd taken to staying in his bed while the twins were up. Like Gemma he was seriously tired of them, but for different reasons. "Hey we're running low on gas, again. I'll drive into the gas station right up there. Then you can go in and get some stuff too." Cody called pulling into an old looking gas station.

"Lewis you stay with Cody and keep an eye out for danger, Kim you can come with me." Gemma said. "What about me?" Anthony asked loudly "You can come too." Gemma sighed. Anthony yanked open the door into the small shop a few feet in front of them laid a Munchie face down and unmoving, a horrible smell came from it and the liquids surrounding it. "Somebody's been here recently." Anthony said poking it with his foot. Gemma ignored him and moved further into the shop aware of that there might be more, but after a search around it, she only found a door that was bolted shut, two rows of magazines that had been knocked over, and a dozen other shelves that had been knocked over by the counter. Under the counter was a lot of soiled blankets that smelled almost as bad as the rotting munchie. She wrinkled her nose and started to stuff her bag with what was left of food.

Anthony was right somebody had been there recently, but it didn't look like it had gone very well. "Um Gemma." Kim said suddenly. She looked over at him, he was kneeling on the floor where he pulled something out from under some bubble gum packages. It was a picture, Gemma dropped the items she'd been holding into her bag and walked over and stared down at it. "But that's Ellie." She said in shock. "I think they were here." Kim said. Gemma wanted to say that it wasn't possible, but her stomach told her that it was true. "You don't think...?" she asked afraid of the answer. Judging by the knocked over stuff something had happened there. "I hope not." He muttered quietly pocketing the picture. "What are you talking 'bout?" Anthony asked skipping over holding several magazines in his hands. Gemma wrinkled her nose when she saw which magazines they were. "What, I'm a boy! I have needs you know." Gemma rolled her eyes.

She glanced over at Kim who looked as sullen as ever. The picture hadn't been a mood booster. Even Gemma did not like finding a picture of Ellie either. Not even if it had been of her and her siblings somewhere sunny. She doubted strongly that it had been any of her siblings on the picture who had left it. Timothy wouldn't be able to, and Gordon... actually Gemma had no idea where he was. The last time she'd seen him had been with Daniel in the city. "Hey what's behind that door?" Anthony asked staring at the bolted shut door. As he took in the handle it shook violently and something growled sticking its hand through the crack. With a shriek, Anthony scrambled back. "Never mind." The face of an old man was just visible, before they left the store in a hurry. "Let's go!" Anthony said dashing into the auto camper. Cody had just put the pump back when Gemma heard the door inside the store open with a bang. Four or five munchies filed out from behind it and started towards the windows of the store.

"Get in!" Kim said shoving Lewis in so he stumbled. Gemma was right behind him and slammed the door as Cody started the engine again. One after one they lumbered out through the open door. "You just had to touch that handle." Kim grumbled sitting down at the table. Gemma emptied her bag in the sink. She snatched up a bubble gum package and "Is that bubble gum?" Cody asked loudly without turning around in his seat. "Yes." Gemma said dumping it in his lap. "YES!" He cried opening the package with one hand. He stuffed four or five pieces into his mouth and made a highly satisfied sound as he chewed away. Gemma rolled her eyes and sat down beside Kim, who'd pulled out the picture.

"Idon't ever think I've seen her wear a dress." Gemma mused looking at thepicture of Ellie with her siblings on a beach. Gordon who sat on Timothy'sshoulder's looked much younger than when she had seen him. Ellie looked thesame, maybe except from the fact that she was wearing a dress and make-up. Gettinga closer look Gemma noticed that Ellie did not look like her sisters, it wasonly their hair that looked remotely the same in colour, but otherwise youwouldn't have guessed they were sisters. It made Gemma sad to look at it, shedidn't even know if her own sisters were alive. She would pay dearly just tosee them again, even that little brat Ina. They drove in silence the only soundwas coming from Cody who was chewing his bubble gum whilst humming. Addict. Gemma though picking outsomething to feed them with, they still didn't have much food, but it wasenough to keep them from complaining.