Gas and Go

Posted on Sat Jul 20th, 2024 @ 12:41am by Lydia Dunham & Timothy Cotton & Joshua MacCallan & Kimberley Hathaway
Edited on on Sun Jul 21st, 2024 @ 11:28pm

1,925 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Winter is Coming
Location: Revere Truckstop Off I-95
Timeline: September 7, 2010 - 05:30 a.m.

Joshua was awake early. He dressed quickly and packed his camper. As quietly as he could, he went to the truck and was pleased to find the keys still there. He turned the key to the position before full ignition and was surprised to see it was half full. Turning it off, he went to the roller doors and slowly raised it, trying hard not to make too loud. A look made it clear that they had a clear path, for now. He pushed his motorbike out of the garage with its camper and placed it beside the garage. He took the time to roll Three barrels to the tanker and then using a knife he pried off the nozzle from the fuel pump at the front. He left it on the tanker beside the hose.

Then he went back in, put the truck in neutral and pushed it out of the garage. It took a bit, it was not easy and he was trying hard not to wake people as they needed their sleep and he considered it was the best he could do, as he was no macho marine.

Kimberley had wakened a short time after Josh and after pulling on her own jumper of her rumpled clothes she climbed out of her SUV where she had spent the night. She looked at Josh as he pushed the truck out and then came back in to get a metal plank.

"Josh?" She said softly.

"Hey Kimberley. " Josh replied, he never shortened peoples names unless they gave permission.

"Any sign?" Kimberly asked.

Josh shook his head. "No but I am being cautious. I am.going to put my bike in the tray and stack the rest of the stuff around it. My camper can be in tow with the truck."

Kimberley nodded. "After that can you help me roll the SUV out so we can hook up the trailer?"

Joshua nodded. "Yes, I can do that." Their voices were not raised as they both tried to keep the noise down.

Kimberley moved to finish packing the trailer. She had no idea where TJ was and she thought Lydia was still asleep, not that they would be able to tell. She placed the last two cans in the tray of the truck as Josh put the ramp into place and then disconnected his camper and pushed the bike up the ramp and began tying it down so it didn't move.

Kimberly kept looking around as they moved. It was a quiet and cool morning a sign that summer was fully over now. Her hand rested on her froe as she looked around then headed to move the trailer out, glad that it was easier to move than the SUV.

[In the Garage]

Lydia woke up slowly, reluctant to emerge from the warmth of the cocoon she'd made for herself. Overlapping pillows forming an arc around her head, thick comforter pulled up to her chin, red hair splayed out behind her across the pillows. They'd be moving today. Yawning, she slipped out of bed and set up the camp stove. She set the water to heating and put a tea bag into her favorite travel mug. While that was going, she got dressed and made the bed. Tiny spaces meant you had to be disciplined about keeping things neat. Her pajamas she folded and put under the pillow. The idea about how she was going to do laundry was a problem for another day.

When the tea was ready, she added honey, closed the lid and stored the stove, the honey, and the tiny kettle. Tidied and ready. Humming to herself, she put the mug in its holder between the driver and passenger seat up front and then exited by the side door. Wincing at the noise and straining somewhat with the effort, she raised the large bay door that had kept her safe all night and backed the van out into the parking lot, pulling it up near to where the others had congregated and turned off the engine.

[Truck Stop Parking Lot]

"Good morning everyone," Lydia said. "We about ready to go?"

After talking and seeing Lydia's sketchbook TJ had said good night and gone back into the diner. As he had told Kimberley, he found has found access to the roof and gone up there to keep a lookout for any intruders dead or otherwise. his rifle at his side. He awoke early and saw and heard Kimberly and Josh already up and moving. Coming down from the roof, he greeted them both pleasantly. "Good morning, Kimberley, good morning, Josh." His attention swung to Lydia. "Good morning Lydia."

"We're leaving this morning, right," Lydia asked as she gestured towards the van. "I pulled 'Gloria' out." She took in their blank looks and said, "You know, like Gloria Gaynor ... I will survive? Anyways, I'm ready to go when you are."

TJ looked at the trio, "You want to fill your cars up this morning, right? We'll need to get a hose and nozzle from one of the pumps to get the gas from the tanker." He looked from Josh to Kim to Lydia. "We should get your cars in a straight line when we get ready to fill them."

He finished and while waiting he walked over to his rucksack, opened it and pulled out and old holster. He took the Berreta from his waistband and placed it in the holster and put the holster on his belt, so it was readily available... just in case.

"Alright," Lydia said. "Just show me where and I'll pull Gloria into place."

Josh was silent as he finished with the nozzel and the pipe. He looked at Kimberly who nodded. She took it from him and watched as Josh moved towards the back of the truckstop, bat in hand.

Josh found three barrels, that were fuel barrels, kept by the back of the garage. He was glad they were empty but knew that they were going to be heavy when filled. He placed them on a pallet jack and rolled it to the tanker.

Kimberly motioned to Lydia and indicated where she should park her van. They would do the van first, then the SUV then the truck. The bike, strapped down in the tray of the truck would be fine.

TJ walked over to Josh as he stood by the fuel barrels. Once Josh had them at the tanker. "Those drums are going to hold about fifty gallons each. I don't think we should fill them completely fuel. More like three-fourths. That way you don't have to worry about spillage, and they won't be so hard to maneuver." That will still give you around 112, 113 gallons give or take a gallon." He added. "However, that is only my opinion. It is your decision and I'll abide by what you say."

Josh gave a slight shrug. "I am going to load them into the tray next to the Bike." He said, "Then hook up my camper." He pointed to the teardrop camper. Fill the cars first."

TJ looked at Kimberley who had the nozzle and pipe. "I'll take that Kimberly." He said gesturing to the pipe and nozzle.

Meanwhile, Lydia hopped into the driver's seat, took a grateful sip of the tea, and pulled Gloria into the spot T.J. had pointed out. That was one thing she could do well at least. But in a world where how well you can fight was going to count for so much ... this was something she needed to work out. To get past. "I can do it," she told the small angel hanging from the rear view mirror. "I will do it ... somehow." She turned off the engine, took another sip of tea, and then hopped out heading around the side to help as she could.

Kimberly moved off to get her car, she was not 100% sure about the newcomer like some were but she kept her own counsel and kept silent.

Josh headed to help her by hitching the covered trailer to the tow hitch on the Tribeca.

TJ watched them turned his attention to Lydia and her van. He worked on getting the pipe inserted into the tanker's storage compartments. It took several minutes but was finally finished. Once done he brought the nozzle to Lydia's van. "Lydia, pop your gas tank lid and let's see if this works."

"Sure thing," Lydia said. She popped the cover over the gas tank and then came around the side to twist off the cap. "All set."

"Good deal Lydia. If this works, you will soon have a full tank of gas as will Kimberley and Josh." Tj replied as he looked to Kimberley and Josh and them bring their vehicles toward the tanker.

"And extra," Lydia said. "I have to say that makes me feel so much better. Not being on the edge of running out."

"One less thing to worry about." TJ replied. "And good that you don't feel on edge. Very good."

"Always feel better when I'm driving," Lydia said. She turned to Josh and Kimberly and smiled a greeting at both of them. "Whatever happens, we'll all face it together."

Josh and Kimberly came back over and stood looking out, keeping an eye open. Josh looked at TJ for a moment. "You can ride with me." He stated.

TJ met Josh's gaze, nodded and said. "Thanks." He answered simply as he continued to fill Lydia's car. So, their journey could get started.

Lydia had found maps in the convenience store and marked out a route that would take them to Augusta in one color and a second one, using side road in another color. She passed one over to Josh and the other to Kimberly. "I was thinking maybe hand signals if we need to stop," she said, her gaze on the parking lot and the remains of that poor man that Josh had dispatched. "Better than a honk that would draw attention?"

Josh nodded.

Kimberly however had another question on her mind. "What happens if we meet another group of people?" She asked.

"That's a hard question," Lydia answered. "I ... I don't want to live in fear. Spent too much time that way and ... we aren't going to make it on our own, are we? Not long-term. Cautious but friendly? Trust our instincts?"

TJ was quiet. He was the new guy to the group. They had taken him in and he had no doubt there were discussions about him. Still, he thought this was a decision best left for Josh, Lydia and Kimberley to decide as they were the core group. If asked he would give his opinion but he would not offer one as it felt wrong after just being accepted.

Josh nodded as Lydia spoke. "Yes that will do for now." He said. "Kimberly, get your SUV ready, I think the Van is ready."

They moved the next vehicle into place, and Kimberly double checked the diner and shop for anything else they may have missed. She brought out two cases of bottled water and placed one in the van with Lydia and one in the truck where TJ and Josh would be. "I have a ton of these in the covered trailer." She said.

"Thanks, Kimberly," Lydia said cheerfully. She grabbed the bottle and took it into the back, put it in the fridge, and returned to the driver's seat. "Here's hoping there's something good waiting in Augusta, eh?"

 

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