The Gas Station by plush19

[JRK Archiver]

Author Note: Hey guys, it’s me again with another story. It really isn’t GQ centric, but Dillon is in it. The story really focuses on Georgie and Brook Lynn’s deteriorating friendship. This story is also filled with emotion, but not as angsty as my last one. It’s about how taking one’s friendship to the limit…past the limit. It’s based on the short story, “The General Store” by G. K. Wuori; so don’t think that the idea is my own. I kind of just took that story and put Brook Lynn, Georgie, Lucky and Dillon in it and changed it around. The only characters that are mine are Wally, Dino, and John. Okay, here goes…

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 1

For the past few weeks, it seemed as if Georgie and Brook Lynn had become complete strangers. They were once best friends, but somewhere between Sage dying and Diego arriving, Brook Lynn and Georgie seemed to just drift apart. It was not like either of them wanted it that way, it just happened.

All of these thoughts passed through Georgie’s head as she drove to the nearby gas station with Brook Lynn. It was around midnight. They had just come from Dillon’s house and now they were heading to Georgie’s. It was Dillon’s idea that the girls just spend some time together, something they hadn’t done in weeks. Apparently he had noticed the rift as well.

*Flashback*

Dillon pulled Georgie into another room while Brook Lynn and Lucas talked. Dillon whispered slightly, in case Brook Lynn decided to listen.

Dillon: (whisper) You should hang out with Brook Lynn.

Georgie: (whisper) Why?

Dillon: You two never spend any time together.

Georgie: Yes we do. What about today?

Dillon: I mean, “girl time.” Every time you guys get together, it’s with me and Lucas.

Georgie: What, so now you don’t like spending time with me?

Dillon: No, it’s not that Georgie. It’s just…you seem a little crabby—

Georgie was about to yell but Dillon put his finger to her lips.

Dillon: Ah, ah, ah. Brook Lynn does too. That’s why I want you guys to hang out. Have fun. Talk about nails…and Brad Pitt…and do each others hair—

Georgie: Colin Farrel.

Dillon: Whatever. Just do it.

Georgie: I don’t know.

Dillon: You and Brook used to be best friends. Where did that go?

Georgie: I don’t know. I guess…I guess it all started when Sage died. And then you and Brook Lynn seemed to get closer…and I felt like a third wheel.

Dillon: What? Georgie that’s—

Georgie: Ridiculous I know. I guess…I don’t know.

Dillon: Well, that’s why you guys should hang out tonight. You could find whatever problem you have and fix it.

Georgie: I still don’t know…

Dillon: Come on…do it for me? Please?

Dillon bats his eyes and pouts.

Georgie: How can I say no?

Dillon: Great! I’ll tell her. (gives Georgie a quick peck on the cheek)

Dillon abruptly leaves.

Georgie: Dillon wait—

Brook Lynn, who had been listening to the last few minutes of the conversation…mainly because Lucas was in the bathroom…ran over to the bed and picked up a book. She tried her best to create the illusion that she wasn’t eavesdropping. Dillon entered and she pretended not to notice.

Dillon: Brook?

Brook Lynn: Yeah?

Dillon: I just had a great idea. Why don’t you and Georgie hang out tonight? You know, just have a girl’s night out or something?

Brook Lynn: I don’t know.

Dillon: C’mon. Georgie really wants you to.

Brook Lynn: (tossing her book aside) So then, why doesn’t she ask me?

Brook Lynn is testing her friend. If Georgie really wants her to hang out, she should ask. And their friendship can be saved. If Georgie doesn’t…

Georgie emerges from behind Dillon.

Georgie: I do want you to. Why don’t we just…hang for a bit?

Brook Lynn: (Uncomfortably) Okay.

*End of Flashback*

So there they were, two friends who seemed to have disconnected completely. The whole car ride to the station was silent. As they pulled into the deserted station, they both had the sinking feeling that they would never be best friends again. Georgie parked and grabbed her purse.

Georgie: I’ll go pay.

Brook Lynn: Okay.

Georgie left for the Quick Mart to pay for the gas. Brook Lynn took out her cell phone and began to dial her mother. She wanted to tell her that she’d be hanging out with Georgie. Suddenly, a man appeared in front of her window. Brook Lynn looked up. He had a mask on and a gun in his hand.

Brook Lynn: What the—

Man1: Don’t move.

Georgie walked over to the clerk, Wally, a nice old man in his 70’s. He smiled. She smiled back and handed him a twenty.

Georgie: Twenty dollars on pump 1 please?

Wally: Sure.

Suddenly a masked man entered and started shouting.

Man2: This is a robbery! Get down!

Georgie fell to the floor immediately as the man with the gun ran towards them. Wally froze.

Man2: I want all of your money now! Now!

Wally seemed to snap out of his terror trance. He began to bend down, either to push a button or get a gun, but he wasn’t reaching for the register key around his neck. For this reason, Man2 fired.

Georgie screamed in shock.

[JRK Archiver]

Chapter 2

Man1: Step out of the car.

The man opened the door and Brook Lynn slowly stepped out. He was unusually calm for a common robber. He had done this before. Brook Lynn looked around and saw his car, just out of range of the pump lights. It was too dark to see the color and she didn’t see any license plate. It looked like a new car.

Man1: You have any money?

Brook Lynn handed him her purse. He rummaged through it, picked out her wallet and threw the purse away. When he took out the cash, he tossed the wallet. He saw that she still held her phone tightly in her hand.

Man1: Give me your phone. Come on.

Brook Lynn handed him the phone. He removed the battery and threw the pieces away.

Man1: We won’t be needing that any time soon. You’re doing very well. You might live through this.

Brook Lynn: I’m from New York.

Man1: Good for you. So you have some experience—

Suddenly, there was a loud bang and someone screamed. They both looked toward the store.

Brook Lynn: Georgie…

Man1: Inside, let’s go. (pushing Brook Lynn along)


Man2 lifted Georgie off the floor and pushed her to the edge of the counter, just by the door to go behind it was.

Man2: Let’s see if you can’t help me out. Move it!

Georgie flinched and got behind the counter. Wally was laying face up, blood surrounding his body. He was still alive, trying to breathe. He looked like a fish out of water. Georgie almost began to cry.

Man2: Get the key.

It was still around Wally’s neck, covered in blood. Georgie moaned, bent down, and gently lifted Wally’s head. He whispered something.

Wally: Sho…

Georgie only shook her head. She couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Wally: Sho…sho…(moves his eyes toward the back of the counter)

Georgie goes to follow his eyes, but Man2 becomes agitated.

Man2: Just get the damn key!

Georgie slowly took the key off of Wally’s neck, soaking both hands with blood. As she rose, Brook Lynn and another masked man entered.

Brook Lynn saw Georgie come up from the counter and she looked unharmed, but her hands were covered in blood. Brook’s stomach tied in knots.

Man2 threw a sack at Georgie as she opened the register.

Man2: Put it all in there.

Man1: What happened?

Man2: What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be watching for people.

Man1: (pointing toward Brook Lynn) This is people. Now, what happened?

He was reaching for something. I didn’t know if it was a gun or a panic button or whatever…so I shot him.

Man1: Is he dead?

Man2: I dunno. Hey, (to Georgie) is he dead?

Georgie: I…I.

Man2: It’s yes or no blondie.

Georgie: I…not yet.

Georgie finished putting all of the money in the sack as Man2 snatched it from her. Man1 escorted Brook Lynn from the counter.

Brook Lynn: Are you all right G?

Georgie: Yeah, you?

Brook Lynn: Yeah.

Man1: Now, why don’t we all get acquainted? I’ll go first. My name is John. My partner over here is Dino. Now you go blondie.

Georgie: Georgie.

Brook Lynn: Brook.

John: Okay Georgie, I need you to do me a favor. Are there any switches back there?

Georgie looked and then nodded.

John: Any that say, “pump lights?”

Georgie nodded again.

John: Why don’t you go ahead and switch those off?

Georgie flipped the switches and everything outside went dark.

John: Good. Now, my pal Dino here said that that fella was reaching for something. Do you see anything back there?

Georgie looked around.

John: How bout under the counter. Is there a button or something?

Georgie bent down and didn’t see a button, but she saw something else.

Dino: (banging on the counter) Hey Georgie!

Georgie: There’s a sh-shotgun.

John: Good. Give it to me.

Georgie unhooked it from the counter and slowly rose with it. Dino took it from her.

John: Okay. So, Dino, why don’t you go get some duct tape and I’ll keep the ladies company.

Dino leaves and Brook Lynn and Georgie exchange worried glances.

Lucky Spencer drove down the deserted road leading to Wally’s gas station. He had known Wally for a while and always drove down to visit after a hard day at the police station. When the gas station got into view, Lucky squinted in wonder. The lights were off, but there were cars at the station. One of the cars looked like Mac Scorpio’s.

Lucky: That’s weird. Wally probably forgot to turn the lights on.

Lucky chuckled a little. It wasn’t uncommon for Wally to forget to turn the lights on.

Dino had taped Georgie’s left hand to the edge of the counter so much that she could barely feel it. She didn’t even know where the tape had ended when he finished. Almost an entire roll had been used on her hand. She wasn’t going anywhere. John held Brook Lynn, making sure she didn’t try anything.

Brook Lynn: Why are you doing this? You have your money. Just go.

John: Now just calm down. We’re gonna have a little fun first—

Dino: Oh crap! (points toward door)

They all looked toward the door to see Lucky coming inside.

Lucky: Wally, you forgot to turn your lights—

Georgie: LUCKY PLEASE HELP US!!

Dino: Shut up!

Dino backhands Georgie and she cries out.

Brook Lynn: Georgie!

Brook Lynn breaks from John’s grip.

Lucky, taken by surprise, grabs his gun.

Dino, John, and Lucky all fire at once.

[JRK Archiver]

*Warning* This chapter contains scenes of a graphic and violent nature. Reader discretion is advised. Lol. No, it does have some blood and violence in it, so just take head.

Chapter 3

Lucky staggers backward, gripping his side. Blood emerges from between his fingers. Lucky’s been shot. Dino and John look on cautiously. Georgie and Brook Lynn are frozen in fear. Lucky tries to steady himself, gripping on to a nearby chip rack, but his legs give way and the chip rack is can’t supports his weight. He falls, his gun sliding out of his hand an underneath a radiator.

Georgie: No!!

Dino and John laugh victoriously. John walks over to Lucky and sees the badge on his belt.

John: (Turning to Georgie) See what you made me do? I had to go shoot a cop.

John slowly walks back over to Georgie. Dino quickly grabs Brook Lynn.

Brook Lynn: What are you doing?

Georgie slightly cowers in fear as John stops inches from her.

John: That was a…stupid mistake.

John shakes his head and suddenly hits Georgie in the head with his gun, virtually knocking her out. She falls, but her taped hand keeps her from hitting the ground.

Brook Lynn: No! STOP IT!

Restraining herself no longer, Brook Lynn bursts into tears as John and Dino laugh.

Brook Lynn: Please!

John walks back over to a still writhing Lucky, grabs him by the collar and drags him over to Georgie, leaving a thin trail of blood behind him.

Brook Lynn, still crying, tries to wriggle free of Dino’s grip, but he holds her tighter. She looks at her best friend hanging there bleeding and unconscious. She looks at Lucky, the only hope they had, moving slowly on the floor.

Lucky: (Through clenched teeth) Leave them alone dammit!

John: You, officer, are in no position to tell me what to do.

Lucky: (Spitting blood) Do you know who that is? (pointing toward Georgie) That’s the POLICE COMMISSIONER’S DAUGHTER that you just attacked. And when he finds out—

John stomps on Lucky’s side and he curls up into a ball and passes out. Then he turns to Brook Lynn and Dino.

John: Duct tape her hands together and put her with blondie till we figure out what to do.

Dino nods and quickly wraps three or four layers of duct tape around Brook Lynn’s hands. Then, he shoves her down by Georgie.

Dino: Stay put. Don’t try anything…unless you wanna end up like your friend.

Dino and John go to the back of the store and talk.

Brook Lynn turns to Georgie. I have to pull her up, she thinks. She stands and tries to lift Georgie, but it’s no use. She can’t get a good grip with tied hands and Georgie’s too heavy. Brook Lynn lets out a frustrated sob and kneels down by Georgie.

Brook Lynn: Come on Georgie, wake up. Please wake up. Don’t leave me alone with these guys. Wake up.

Georgie slowly lifts her head and groans.

Brook Lynn: Oh thank God. Come on, stand up.

Brook Lynn, to the best of her abilities, helps her friend stand up. It’s then that Brook Lynn realizes that their friendship doesn’t have to be saved, for her at least, because it was never lost. With all of the stuff that had been going on lately, it just got buried in the pile.

Brook Lynn grabs some napkins from the counter and helps Georgie clean up some of the blood off her eye. It was swollen shut. Georgie leaned on the counter for support, still a little dazed from the blow to the head. The room was spinning, she felt as if she were going to pass out.

Georgie: Where are they?

Brook Lynn: They’re in the back of the store, talking. How are you feeling?

Georgie lied.

Georgie: I’m okay. (Looking at Lucky) Oh my God. We have to do something.

Brook Lynn: I don’t…where’s your cell?

Georgie: Um…my purse. Over there. (points just a few feet from Lucky)

Dino wasn’t like John. Dino didn’t think about cell phones.

Brook Lynn quickly crouches down and seizes the purse. With her tied hands, she grabs the phone and quickly dials 911.

Operator: 911, what is your emergency?

Brook Lynn: (Whisper) You have to help us. We’re being held—

Operator: If you’d like to continue in English, press 1. En Espanol, para dos.

Brook Lynn: What? No!

Brook Lynn hangs up and dials Dillon. While it’s ringing, she looks; Dino and John are still talking and haven’t noticed her yet. Georgie is looking on worriedly. Finally, he answers.

Dillon: Hello?

Brook Lynn: Dillon. It’s Brook. Listen, I don’t have a lot of time.

Dillon: What? Wait, wait, slow down. What’s wrong?

Brook Lynn: Dillon, we’re—

Suddenly a hand snatches the phone away from Brook Lynn. Dillon can still be heard in the background.

Dillon: Hello? Brook Lynn? Hello? Hello…

John throws the cell phone against the wall.

Dino: That was stupid.

They both close in around her.