If I Never Knew You

Chapter 10: Quiet

If I Never Knew You

Chapter 10

Quiet

The door slowly creeped open as Penny quietly opened the door. The sun illuminated the room a lot better than the night before. She could see everything now. Which was almost intimidating since the front window was so big. People on the other side could see her now. So she chose to do something a bit...childish.

Throwing the table cloth over herself she ran from the closet into the arcade and hid from gaming cabinet to gaming cabinet.

She quietly went into the bathroom and threw the tablecloth off herself. Oh this room looked horrible. Water stains and puddles were all over the place. Sad thing was she had to go to the bathroom and there was nothing she could do about that. Nor was there any toilet paper for that matter.

She left the stall and looked at the sinks. She knew the soap was probably dust by now. She turned on the water and cringed. It looked dirty so she turned it off. She would have to grin and bear it. She had no way to wash her hands with the way that water looked.

She quietly went toward the back of the arcade. There wasn't much there anymore, the desk was empty, and there was paper work all over the floor. There was nothing there that was useful so she left the room and into a room with what looked like three different gaming cabinets that were opened for all to see. She had never seen the inside of one before, but there was one thing that caught her eye. Quarters on the workbench. That would come in handy if she wanted breakfast. The place was closed, and from how much dust was around it didn't seem like anyone else was going to come and get it.

Penny slowly made her way toward the door rather iffy. They couldn't possibly be still looking for her right? Her stomach protested loudly. She ran her fingers over her empty belly and sighed. She really wanted something to eat. Luckily she knew a bit about money and she knew where to go for cheap food. Quickly she ran out the door and toward the park where there was a sandwich truck.

It wasn't unusual for her to buy food alone at this place, her fingers surrounded a sandwich, and a drink. The owner always loaded it down for her, the chips were spread out over the wax paper as she stuffed her face.

Oh how she felt like she hadn't eaten in days. Technically she had only not eaten one meal, but when you're having a growth spurt it tends to happen this way.

She smiled at the empty paper, and the drink cup was now empty. She still had five dollars in quarters. She had told the owner that she had saved up her money from her chores that she had been doing by helping out her Uncle which would explain why there were only coins.

Penny tossed the paper into the bin and looked around the park. She was right out front of the horribly kept mall. There was a for sale sign on the front. She hated going to this one. It was going to fall soon. She was sure some parts already had. The arcade was right next to it, and the restaurant that was connected to it too.

She would definitely be happy if she didn't ever have to go back inside. But...

Penny stopped and spotted something that caused her heart to stop. A pay phone!

She walked over to it and reached up with all her might to grab the receiver from the hook and pushed a quarter into the slot. She thought about it. Yeah she remembered the phone number to the gadget mobile. She hoped he was inside of it.

"Yeah?" He sounded tired and he didn't sound like he wanted to talk to anyone at that time. He tended to get that way when he was sick or sad.

"Uncle Gadget." Penny felt like crying. Even though he sounded tired, and angry. She thought his voice sounded like a saint.

"Penny!" Oh his tiredness melted away as he heard that soft voice. "Are you alright, where are you?" Penny could hear him tapping at something on the console.

"I'm fine, I'm downtown in front of the mall...that old horrible one that's going to fall apart." She gasped when she looked beyond the crowd. In front of her she could see one of the fake police officers.

"Alright, I'm coming. Stay there."

"I...I can't. I have to run. They found me!"

Gadget heard the phone fall and the slide of the door. His heart hit his rib cage so hard that he was sure it was going to jump out and grab the wheel for him.

"Penny!" He yelled.