Time is Running Out

Chapter 21

Joy picked up a call.

"Gemma? Is this you?" she asked.

"Yes," wheezed Gemma.

A chorus of "Gemma!"s rang out from the others.

"What's up?" Emma asked briskly, hearing Gemma's breathless voice.

"Stabbed－ woman－ help－" Gemma groaned.

"STABBED?!" cried Rachel.

"Tired, stopped for rest, closed my eyes, felt pain in my right arm, opened eyes, woman laughed, ran away," Gemma groaned. "She stabbed me with a dagger..."

"How did this woman look?" asked Joy quickly.

"Average hairstyle, average eyes, average nose, average mouth, average ears, average height..." Gemma trailed off.

"Well, that's very helpful," Emma muttered.

"Is there anything else you can remember?" asked Rachel, ignoring Emma.

"No," Gemma said. "Wait-- she has blonde hair and blue eyes."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Gemma, you've just about described half the people in the world. And that's me."

"But-- Emma!" cried Gemma.

"Sorry, Gem. She's right," Rachel said.

"But it's not my fault that the woman looks the way she does!" cried Gemma.

"It isn't," Joy agreed.

"It is," said Emma and Rachel.

"Is not."

"Is."

"Not."

"Is."

"N--"

"Stop!" Alden shouted.

"We have no time for your stupid arguing!" Mary added.

"Sorry," the three said.

Out of the corner of her mouth, Rachel added in a whisper, "Is."

"Isn't," Joy hissed back.

"Is," Emma whispered.

"Isn't."

"Is."

"Isn－"

"SHUT UP!" the rest all shrieked.

"Sorry."

They finally stopped.

"Gemma. Where are you?" Joy asked urgently.

Gemma checked her GPS carefully. Then, she remembered it was malfunctioning.

"Still malfunctioning," she groaned.

"This is not good," noted Emma.

"Well, you don't need to point that out!" said Rachel crossly. "It is very obvious."

Emma raised an eyebrow at Rachel, blue eyes burning into her.

"I only pointed it out because you might be too stupid to even think about 'normal' things." She strode over to Rachel hotly and said clearly, "because you are too high and mighty."

The voices erupted that very second.

"Hey! That's rude and uncalled for!" roared Mary.

"How dare you?!" screamed Rachel.

"EMMA! She's our best friend! How could you?" cried Joy.

"Why did you say that?!" Xana snapped.