Veronica stepped down off her porch, rolling her eyes as Kev pulled the front door shut behind them, ranting about the price of gas. He'd been on the same tangent since the morning, after having stopped to get a few gallons for the ice cream truck him and the neighbor kid Phillip were fixing up.
"It's just ridiculous! They expect us to pay that much for something we can't live without? It's not a dealer's corner anymore, you can't just expect them to come to you. You have to drive it up and drop it off! And to do that I have to fork out how much for fucking gas?" He stepped down off the porch, standing in front of her as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at him; waiting.
"Kev, it's 2 in the morning. Are you going to get the fuck over this?"
He grunted, rolling his own eyes, shoving his hands deep in his pockets for emphasis. "Eventually. It's just... damn Vee."
"I know baby." She gave him one of her trademark smiles, her hand sliding up onto his bicep as she leaned into him. "That's why we're out at this ungodly hour to siphon gas from the rest of the neighborhood, now let's get the gas can from behind Fiona's house." They both grinned before heading down the street, passed the abandoned home, and onto the next. The living room lights were on, their TV shining through the sheer curtains. The bedroom upstairs had a faint glowing coming from it, a shadow passing by as one of the boys moved around in their room.
The Gallagher house never slept in the summer.
"You think we should ask first?" Kevin's question went unanswered as Veronica made her way around to the back of the house, moving through the fence and wrapping around through the abandoned lot. She looked around, glancing up at the kitchen window that had a faint glow in it as well. She could see Fiona's head just through the glass, probably doing dishes. Pushing past she skimmed her eyes over the base of the house and found the gas can just underneath the porch overhang, next to the steps. Picking it up she headed back up front.
"Kev, I got –"
The car came to an abrupt halt. Kevin had his back to her, watching as a body was pushed from the back seat. It slammed into the hard ground, rolling a few feet to get stuck by the curb of the sidewalk. The door slammed shut, a gloved hand pulling it, and then the car took off. A load roar filling in the air around them. It happened so quickly, no time to process. And as quickly as the moment came it was gone, replaced with the early morning sound of cicadas and the L.
It only took the big man two seconds to move forward, hovering over what had been thrown out. He knelt down, Vee putting down the gas can to join him. The train slammed down the tracks as it moved along, shoving loud noises into the moment as Kevin fretted over the arrival.
"Get Fiona!" His voice bellowed out so suddenly Veronica jumped. She spun on her heels, heading up to the front door to bang frantically. Just seconds later the front door was pulled open, Phillip himself standing there with a bat in his hands.
"Vee?"
"Someone was tossed outside, in your yard."
And just like that, the Gallagher clan unfolded, stepping out of the house, following Vee to where Kevin was now sitting on the ground, his hand trembling as he pushed hair away from a bloody face.
"What the fuck?" Fiona's voice was soft as she knelt down next to Kevin. "What happened?"
"I was just jacking your gas can and I came around the corner and Kev was standing wide open to receive a birthing from the back of a mustang." Veronica fidgeted, dropping down herself to check vitals. "This ain't no fucking movie."
"Is she still alive?"
"It's faint, but her hearts pumping."
"Should we call the police?"
As the word left Lips mouth a shock seemed to course through the abandoned person. Startled, air filling her lungs she reached out and grabbed a hold of Kev's arm, her eyes flying open. She gasped angrily, trying to greedily pull as much air as she could into her lungs. Her eyes traveled over all of the faces in front of her, not a single one she knew. Each a blur as she shook her head, tears springing up from the pain in her body. She only mustered up the strength to mutter a single sentence before passing back out.
"No fucking police."
