Me: Welcome to Chapter Eight!

Chiro: Great. (Starts to cough violently.)

Me: That doesn't sound good at all. Well this chapter is the chapter everyone's been waiting for.

Chiro: Tauri… (Chiro faints.)

Me: Looks like I'm on my own. I don't own SRMTHFG. Please Read and Review.

Chapter Eight: Bill's Gas Station

I felt a light hand shake my shoulder. I groaned and opened my eyes. Beth was looking at me. "We're here," she said.

I unbuckled my seat belt and got out the car. Jack was pumping gas into the car and I gave him a little smile. He smiled at me in return. I walked away after saying good bye and went straight to the pay phone.

I put in fifty cents and called the Monkey Team. The phone started to ring. "Please pick up," I muttered. "Please pick up,"

The ringing stopped and a voice said, "Hello?"

"Antauri!" I shouted as I went into a coughing fit.

"Chiro!" Antauri said loudly. "Where are you?"

"Bill's Gas Station," I said and coughed again. "Please hurry. I don't feel to good,"

"I will Chiro," Antauri said. "I'll be there by tomorrow by the latest. Just hang in there and don't let those kidnappers get you. None of us can handle you being gone longer. It's like someone came and stole our sunshine and left us in the dark,"

I smiled at Antauri's words. They really did miss me. "I know Tauri," I said. "Without you guys here with me it's like I'm walking blind in a ongoing battlefield. Just so many times I've needed you and you weren't there to help…"

I began to cry, making me feel worse physically and emotionally. "Don't cry Chi," Antauri whispered. "Everything will be okay. I'm coming to get you and then you can be at home with us. Gibson will give you some medicine and you can sleep for a while. Does that sound like a good idea?"

"Yes Antauri," I said. "See you when you get here,"

"I love you," Antauri said.

"I love you too," I said and hung up the phone. I knew Antauri was probably rushing to get the Brainscrambler up and running. I chuckled and began to cough. I knew if Antauri didn't hurry I was going to be a goner.

Beth and Jack were gone when I went to the gas pumps. They had told me that they were going to visit their daughter and her new family. They seemed older then I originally thought.

I went to a bench that would allow me to see Antauri but if the kidnappers came I could be unseen.

I sighed and my eyes began to droop. Being sick was really taking it's toll on me. I felt tired and ready to hurl. Maybe tomorrow I would feel better. Maybe I can be just like I was when I began this journey; Fit and determined.

But for now I was a sick boy braving the elements. I knew Gibson was going to fuss over me for a while. He always fussed over me. I think that he was looking at me like a long lost brother or something.

I felt a big, rough hand on my shoulder and screamed. I succeeded in getting out of the grasp and hitting my head on the pavement. I looked at the owner of the hand that had scared me so much.

He looked like a man in his late thirties or his early forties. He had dark red hair and hazel eyes. His face had a worried look on it. "Why are you sleeping out here?" the man asked.

"Because I have nowhere else to sleep," I said. "I just called my adoptive dad and he's not going to be here till tomorrow. And I have to stay out of sight of the kidnappers. Antauri would be so sad if I got kidnapped again,"

"Who's Antauri?" the man asked. "Who are you?"

"Antauri is my adoptive dad," I said. "My name is Chiro. What's yours?"

"My name is Oliver," the man said. "But everyone calls me Oli. I run the gas station. I am not letting you sleep out here. You sound sick as it is. It should be raining tonight. Come inside and I'll give a room for the night. No kid deserves to sleep in the rain,"

"Thanks Oli," I said. I stood on wobbly legs and he led me to a small room with a cot and a night stand. I went over to the cot and laid down. The moment my head hit the pillow I was asleep.