Chapter 70 Fueled with Hope

We settled all the goods we had inside the armored car and thought about taking more at any grocery store near here.
It's getting dark and the temperature isn't as hot as it was two hours ago, which feels like we are being baked inside an oven.
"How are you feeling now?" Roanie asks the man and he looks at her, his eyes that look like he was on the verge of death a few hours ago seems brightened upon seeing Roanie's pretty face.
"I'm feeling ok now, I guess..." he just answered while staring at her as if he was hypnotized.
"Good. My friend is a medical practitioner she can help tend to your wounds and check on whatever needs to take care of," Roanie kindly whispered to Greg and look at Mona, who is currently dipping a towel on the rainwater Jayson and Timothy brought from the vintage car when they both sneak last night while the Creepers were not aware of our presence.
Mona handed the towel to the guy. But before he took it, he looked at Roanie and me, telling us that he has to take off his shirt to clean himself so all of us girls awkwardly looked at each other and turned around, facing the panel of the car. I decided to stand and step into the front of the car to check what's going on around the area. There are still few of the Creepers walking around slowly but they disappear at night and reappear when the sun beams its first light.
"How is it, Li? Greg says there is nothing wrong with the engine. How are we going to make this thing move?"
Li looked at me, his face looked puzzled at first and then he startled me when he suddenly ran inside and talked in a little loud voice tipped with a little excitement, "Is this run with gasoline?!"
I step inside, behind Li and look at Greg, waiting for his answer.
"Yes. It's a vintage type of Armored Car that Zone four have been keeping for decades. Why?"
My eyes widened. I wish Jayson was here but he and Timothy scouted outside to look for more food that we can take when we're able to move this thing. And that is possible now because it's a good thing that we stacked gas fuel in the car that we used to drive even though no matter how dangerous it is.
And now we can use it in a very unexpected way! We just have to get it in the other car!
"That is really great! We have like three black containers of gas to use! It should be enough until we reach the bunker twenty eight!" Li exclaimed in so much delight.
Roanie and Mona's face lightened and Greg's face had suddenly filled with life as Mona covered his burns with bandages and made him take some antibiotics and vitamins. Greg looks more okay now and he's not trembling anymore every time we talk to him.
"I feel so lucky that I refused to die and hoped that all of you would come." He murmured with a sad smile on his face and tears glistened on his eyes once more which made me and the others fall silent.
"I.." I paused on what I wanted to say because the guilt still hammers in my heart. They were sent to their death because of me and I feel so sorry about it. "I'm so sorry that—"
"You don't have to apologize, ma'am. It's our mission. It's very clear that we have to protect you no matter what the cause. We all knew the consequences of this but we still signed for it because we have to know what really happens in the world outside the bunker. I must say that this is already a nightmare and that the government should protect its citizens no matter what class they belong to. Forsaking people in this kind of situation is more like a demon's choice not to save the ones who are not able to pay a pass in the bunkers." Greg sadly uttered while looking at his bandaged arm, thinking about his comrades and all they went through within three weeks of being stuck in this place. Some of those men might be one of his friends and seeing someone you love turn into a Creeper would be the worst experience ever.
"We just have to get the supplies in the other car and tomorrow we can finally move to Zone twenty eight. I just hope that Jayson and Timothy got more for us." Li said as he looked at Carl, another mouth to feed in this group.
"Don't be too rude to Carl. He doesn't consume much food. Five walnuts are enough for him in a day." I smiled at Li, not wanting to make any more argument with them in front of Greg. I don't want to stress him more than he already does.
"We just have to pray that the Scarlet Tundra has no explosives strong enough to destroy this armored vehicle." Greg said that made us all nervous about the idea. I look at Li and he just shrugs at me, not knowing how tough this thing could hold a kind of explosive.
"It's almost dinner, we have to prepare dinner. Jayson and Timothy must be here soon. Do you want me to prepare the stuff, Roanie?" Li changed the topic to avert us from the emerging fear in our chest when Greg mentioned the explosives. He quickly took the induction cooker from his backpack and connected the battery of the other car to it using some wires. "I think Greg must try your spaghetti, Roanie. He'll forget everything bad that happened to him once he tastes your cooking." He said teasingly.
Roanie chuckled, feeling flattered but I can't argue with what Li had said. Roanie's spaghetti is the best spaghetti I have ever tasted and I think Greg will really love it.
Roanie smiled shyly from Li's praise and tucked her hair under her ear as she chuckled. "Thanks. Okay I guess I'll make some as per your request." And she went to fish in the bags to take the ingredients and the cans of meat and sauce, the condiments and other stuff she needs to make it. Greg looks better now that he's clean and his wounds are tended. Roanie gave him fresh clothes too.
I can now notice, now that he's a little livelier, that his eyes are hazel brown, his hair brownish and wavy, almost covering most of his forehead. He has a small, pointy nose and thin lips with little freckles above his nose, spreading under his eyes. His thin lips that were once dry and chappy are now looking hydrated and pinkish as he smiles at Roanie. Her presence makes him feel happy and who won't feel happy seeing a beautiful girl like her? She's lean and curvy, her eyes are sweet yet ferocious when it comes to fighting. Her small heart shaped face complimented with her small long neck and her tall frame, making her look like a model.
I think Gregory likes her and his stares make her feel flattered. Mona and Li are still avoiding each other and I don't know how long are they going to put up with their ego and apologize to whoever is wrong between them.
But I guess, maybe they're dealing with feelings they don't want to admit yet and that's the progress all of us are waiting for both of them.
Roanie becomes busy preparing the food while Li is looking at the panel, trying to learn how the switches work. Mona help her while I just lean on the chair, my head ticking Abit because of what we had to endure during daytime. Being born with a comfortable home, having air-conditioning in the whole house, it's still hard for me to deal with the heat and that ruins my appetite during the day so I had to eat more at night.
While Roanie is cooking, the door of the car suddenly opens and Jayson and Timothy appear with bags on their shoulders, catching their breaths. Timothy has this wild look on his face, his eyes are wide with fear. He slumped on the floor once he put down the bags and grimaced in exhaustion, his skin glistening in sweat.
"Hey what happened? You look like you've been chased by a ghost!" Li tried to make fun of him and Timothy sneered at him as he sit upright, exhaling. Jayson leaned into the door, looking exhausted too and I knew they had encountered Creepers along their way and the bags on their hand made it hard for them to fire guns against those monsters.
"How is your scouting? What do you think of this area? Do you think we can get more fuel to run this thing?" I ask Jayson one by one, his eyes looking at me incredulously, telling me to let him breathe a little more before I ask anything.
"This thing run using gas?!"
"Yes!" All of us girls chorused in delight, giving hope to everyone.
"That's good because I found a gas station not too far from here. The problem is, there's a horde of Creepers around that place."