Feeling the magazines for the pistol under his butt, Noah kept wiggling as they walked out of the barn. “Did either of you hear or see anything?” Wendy asked.
“I saw an airplane,” Sally said, pulling the wagon and Wendy jerked her head to look down at Sally.
“You did?” Wendy cried out. “When?”
“Just after eleven o’clock,” Sally answered and then pointed over the field to the south before moving her arm to the east. “It flew over there, heading that way.”
Liking the sound of that, Wendy squeezed Noah and lifted him up so he wasn’t riding on the magazine carriers on her belt. “Anything else?”
“I heard engines,” Jo Ann said, pointing to the east. “But they were really far off.”
“No gunshots?” Wendy asked hopefully and both shook their heads and Wendy gave a thankful sigh.
They checked the farm truck, but it was diesel. Moving to the house, they saw two cars under the carport. When they’d arrived this morning, Wendy only opened the door of the house and smelled rotting flesh inside but she had called out. When nothing had come, she’d headed back to the barn.
“Let’s see how much we get,” Wendy said, putting Noah down. One was an old Lincoln and the other was a new Cadillac and had an anti-siphon valve. Reaching into the wagon, Wendy pulled out the oil drain pan and slid it under the back. Taking the M4 off and putting it on the trunk, Wendy grabbed the large screwdriver and hammer.
Crawling under the back, Wendy put the pan under the gas tank and took out the drainage plug in the pan. “Get a can ready,” she said, putting the tip of the screwdriver against the tank. Arthur could do this with the heel of his hand, but Wendy needed a hammer. She tapped the screwdriver and punched the sheet metal that formed the fuel tank before yanking the screwdriver out.
A stream of gas shot out and Wendy centered it over the drainage pan, then scooted out. “It’s peeing gas,” Jo Ann laughed as Wendy laid the empty gas can down on its side.
“We need the pee,” Wendy grinned, putting the hose from the oil pan drainage spout into the gas can.
The girls looked on as they heard the gas draining into the oil pan and then into the gas can. “Yes, Arthur taught me this. He said it was faster but you ruin the gas tank, but the cars he did it to, he didn’t care,” Wendy told them, seeing the fuel level in the gas can was nearing the opening.
Slowly, Wendy sat the gas can up while leaving the hose inside and the girls watched in wonder. “I think it’s faster if you just suck it out,” Sally said.
“Couldn’t. New cars have a valve to stop just that,” Wendy told them, grabbing another gas can.
When the gas stream finally stopped, the three empty cans were full. “Wow,” Jo Ann said, bouncing Ryan in the carrier.
“Won’t they have gas cans here?” Sally asked, looking around. “They have tractors and stuff, it’s a farm.”
“Good thinking,” Wendy said, putting the stuff in the wagon. “Let’s pull this back and look around real quick, then eat and get back on the road.”
Sally went to grab the wagon and Wendy almost stopped her, but only said, “It’s going to be heavy.”
Grabbing the handle, Sally pulled hard to get the wagon to start rolling. It rolled fine on the cement carport but when the wheels of the trailer hit the grass, Sally had to pull hard and grunt for every inch. Bending over, Wendy pushed on the back and Sally gave a relieved smile.
Reaching the barn, Wendy put the cans on the trailer but let the twins strap them down. Sally assured them there weren’t any gas cans in the barn, so they headed over to a shed. Inside, they found six yellow diesel fuel cans and one blue kerosene can. All of them held fuel. Then in the corner, Jo Ann found three red five-gallon cans. Two were empty and one was half full.
Letting Sally carry the empty cans, Wendy carried the half full can back and poured it into the half can that was strapped down. Putting the three cans on the wagon, they headed back to the carport. Shoving the siphon hose in the tank, Wendy blew and then sucked before yanking the end from her mouth and shoving it in the first can.
“I think this way is faster,” Sally mumbled.
“I do too, but it tastes nasty,” Wendy said, spitting out the gas taste.
When the three cans were full, Wendy pulled out the hose that was still pouring out gas. “Wish we could’ve taken all of it,” she mumbled, putting the hose in the wagon. Again, she helped Sally get the wagon back to the barn but this time, Noah moved in front of Wendy to lean down and push the back of the wagon.
“Good boy,” Wendy said, moving her right arm off the wagon and holding the M4 that was swinging under her arm, so it wouldn’t hit Noah.
“With what we used last night, we have enough gas to get home!” Jo Ann announced as they strapped in the new cans.
“It would be cutting it close but remember, we will refill gas cans because I don’t want to run out in the middle of nowhere,” Wendy said, helping Jo Ann take the baby carrier off.
“I know, but it just feels good,” Jo Ann smiled as Wendy took Ryan.
Reaching out, Wendy hugged Jo Ann. “Yes, it does,” Wendy admitted, then moved over and hugged Sally. “We are doing pretty good.”
Everyone sat down on the blanket and ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
