PetrA

Chapter fifty-one: Gemma

Gemma stared around her as they sat nine people around the small table in the Auto camper or at least they were trying. (Bob was playing happily in the background) It was quite cramped, "How are we going to arrange the ah sleeping?" Stella asked shifting on Anthony's lap. She didn't seem very happy about it, although Anthony looked highly pleased about himself although he was squashed against the wall of the camper just as Kim and Ellie. Ellie looked down at the small bowl of food in her hands, "We have bunk beds in the back, a sofa that can turn to a double bed, a double bed, and this sitting area." Anthony said trying to sneak his arms around Stella. Stella gave him an elbow in the gut as a response. "We're ten people..." Ellie looked around at them all thinking. A few minutes passed and her face positively screwed up in concentration. Gemma held back a laugh, "Ellie don't strain yourself." She said lightly. Ellie turned her head and glared at Gemma, but she didn't say anything. "There can only sleep two in the bunk beds, so that's two out of ten. Four in the double beds, that's six off, then two can sleep here that's eight off... so that leaves us with two spares." Gordon said causing Ellie to flush. He looked at Ellie grinning, "It's not my fault you're not a math whiz." His comment made Ellie flush a deeper shade of red that almost bordered on purple. Gemma put a hand on Gordon's shoulder, "I don't think you should push it." She said quietly. It looked like Ellie was about to strangle him. "We can use the spares as guards." Ellie said shooting a distinctively murderous look at her brother.

Gemma interrupted them before a fight between them would break out again... "Alright. We should divide the sleeping places..." Gemma didn't get to finish her sentence as Ellie cut in. "Gordon you're taking one of the bunk beds permanently. Gemma you and Cody can take the couch, I will take the other bed with Kim. Stella you take the other bunk bed and you two." She pointed at Joachim and Lewis, "You can take the first watch, and then Henrik and Anthony can sleep here." No one dared to argue with Ellie as her tone suggested that she was not in the mood. "But where does Bob sleep?" Kim asked looking at him. None of them seemed to know what to do with him... he was a grown man who acted like a three-year-old and twice as difficult to manage because of his size. "The floor?" Joachim suggested. Henrik gave him a dirty look, "What? There's not many other options!" Joachim said scoffing. "I hate to agree with Joachim, but there isn't." Ellie said. She looked quite moody, Gemma couldn't tell if it was from Gordon's comment, or if there was something else nagging her. However, Gemma didn't ask, she didn't want to be in the line of fire.

Outside the darkness was starting to fall and they would have to find somewhere to pull over, as it seemed that only Cody was capable of driving the auto camper. "There's an old bar up ahead." Cody called from behind the wheel. "We can pull in there and see if there's anything we can use and then stay overnight." Ellie scowled and looked out of the window. "Maybe we should send a squad in before the rest of us go inside, you know just in case." Lewis said. "Yeah and we all want to risk our necks just so you can be safe and happy." Ellie retorted sarcastically. Lewis scowled at her and opened his mouth, "I say we vote on it." Henrik said interrupting before Lewis could say anything. As it seemed Henrik, Gemma, Kim, Cody and Stella were the only one Ellie weren't cross with. "Okay, Gemma find a paper and something to write on." Ellie said. Ignoring Joachim who had been about to say something. Gemma opened her bag and pulled out a pencil and piece of ripped paper.

Ellie snatched them from her and quickly scribbled their names down on it, leaving out Cody, Gordon and Bob's names. Gemma smiled a little at that. "I'll send this paper round. You're going to set a dot or whatever beside four names. Those you think best suited for the job." She bent low over it and set four dots quickly before she let Kim do it and then slid it over to Gemma. Gemma held back a laugh, as she indeed was right. Ellie was cross with Joachim as there was only one dot outside his name, most likely set by her, judging from the look Ellie's giving him. Gemma set four dots and passed it on. When it reached Joachim, he looked down at it and scowled. He set four dots and passed it on. Finally, it made the round and ended up with Ellie again.

She bent over the paper and counted the dots. She scowled, "Well it's close." She said. "Who had the most dots?" Lewis asked curiously as he'd set his right after Gemma. "I do." Ellie said crossly. "Second is Henrik, third Stella and lastly Joachim." She muttered something Gemma didn't understand and crumbled the paper. "Well it's settled. Stella, Henrik, Joachim and I will go in and risk our heads." Ellie said firmly her eyes sweeping over them. "Who's going?" Cody asked as he parked the auto camper in front of the dark and shabby looking building. "Joachim, Henrik, Stella and Ellie." Gemma said looking at them; Ellie had already docked out in their small weapon Amory and handed out what they'd need. "We only have two guns." Ellie said picking them out as if they were filled with explosives. "We're splitting in two. Henrik you and Joachim take the back entrance if there is one, and if not, you check around the building for things we can use. Stella and I will take the main door and make our way through the building." Ellie said handing a gun to Henrik. "The guns should only be used if it's the last way of killing those things..." She looked over at Stella and was about to hand her the gun, but Stella shook her head. "I'm a terrible shot." She said.

Gemma noticed the slight smirk on Ellie's face as she fastened the gun in the waistband of her pants. Then Stella picked up the longest knife on the table and examined it. "On the other hand I can use knives and swords." She made a slow arch with the knife and everyone backed away. "We'd all like to keep our heads, so please don't swing that in here." Henrik said eyeing the knife in her hand. Stella shrugged and then walked to the door of the auto camper. Ellie followed her and wrenched the door open.