The sun was as hot as could be. She had been following this single road for miles now, on either side, just plain desert. Dried up plants, cactus, tumbleweeds just rolling past her. Hot wind would blow in her face and she would feel a fever coming. This was nature's sauna, she thought as she kept walking. Her throat parched as she rummaged behind her back in her hitchhiker backpack for a bottle. She opened it up and took it to her mouth. There wasn't a single drop left. No water and a thirst. She looked around again, trying her best to look in the distance. Then, she finally saw it. A gas station was coming up. Her face lit up as her body found new energy and she started to speed walk the rest of the way there.
The gas station looked as good as abandoned to be honest, there was no one around. The place looked like a sandstorm would take it away. The gas pumps were as old as 50 years by the looks of it. But there was some electricity by the looks of it as she looked inside and saw some lights were on and a fully stocked gas station. Just what she needs. Some fuel to keep going on her journey. She barged in rambunctiously as she bellowed out a hello at the top of her lungs. There was someone there to hear her greetings. It was the gas station attendant but the poor man was having his sweet afternoon nap and at the sudden noise, the man just jerked up and grabbed his baseball bat on instinct and looked around as if trying to scan for threats.
But all he saw was a tanned woman, she would have been around average height. She wore a red tank top, a cap, some sunglasses to protect against the sun. She was in some camo shorts and a heavy backpack to add to the look as his eyes scanned her. She didn't look like a tourist at least, as his eyes went from her face to her chest as her disheveled self was there to present herself. A white bra, he thought as a white strap was out at her shoulder and down to her hips, his eyes went and then back up to her face. As she just smiled and didn't mind the inspection one bit. She removed her cap and sunglasses to reveal her face to him. She had a small face, rounded cheeks and a slender neck. Her eyes were hazel and her hair brunette tied up in a ponytail. She put out her hand for a handshake.
"Name's Ashley, Just need to restock and I will be on my way."
The man looked at her hand for a bit and hesitated. He was a middle aged man, the greys were still a ways away. He wore a normal plain shirt with a wife beater inside, a few buttons unbuttoned. He was somewhat on the heavier side as he boasted more than a dad bod even though he wasn't a dad. He also kept a moustache since it was a hassle to maintain a beard. Usually, people didn't seem to care about the man or even know he existed. If he were replaced by an automated check-out machine, no one would even notice him gone. But he did extend his hand and shook it.
"Bill. If you need juices or something to drink. It's in the left corner."
"Got it."
With that, Ashley was on her way and Bill stood there waiting and nothing better to do than just watching his only customer at the moment.
Few minutes pass and Ashley is back. Back with a bunch of stuff. 2 bottles of water, some chips, some protein bars and some more stuff. Bill starts to scan them.
"Are you sure that's enough?"
"Yeah yeah, I don't need too much stuff. Just going to the next town. How long does it take to get there from here?"
"About an hour and a half by truck, don't know by walking..."
She chuckled softly and nodded.
"Well, I guess I will take at least more than that."
Bill smiles as he finishes scanning the items and tells her the amount to be paid. Ashley nods and starts to rummage through the backpack that she has kept down in front of her. She pulls out a small bag and opens it up. With a single glance at it, she looks up at Bill with soft embarrassed eyes as she turns the bag over and Bill literally sees nothing fall out. He grunts out loud and sighs loudly.
"Well, then. Keep the items back where you found them."
"No no no no! Wait I need these. I won't survive without them at all. I have no water and barely anything to eat. Bill, please."