Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

Hyper-Thrust is a zone-hopping, crash queen loving, always shiny club. It was in a different place every time. Today, the club owners had decided to set up near Zone Five. Usually the drive from our home in Zone Three to any other Zone was littered with Dracs, but today the Getaway Mile was clear. It was almost too easy. I hadn’t seen any Dracs, S/C/A/R/C/R/O/W/s, or Exterminators. Not even a stupid fly! And these flies ain’t normal. Nope. They’re just small cameras used to keep an eye on anyone in the Zones. But, it seemed like everyone from the six Zones had come to the club. There were tons of old cars and motorcycles.
As we all stepped out of the Trans-Am, a red Kawasaki dirt bike with a small person riding it pulled next to us. The figure pulled off their helmet and gave one of those cheesy hair flips. I was actually surprised to see that the rider was a woman. She looked over her should toward me, and flashed me a smile with her full lips. She was short, couldn’t have been more than five foot. She had long brown hair that looked like it had grown out from being blonde, causing her ends to be lighter than the rest of her hair. She was dressed in denim shorts, and a black crop top with black and white American flag. She was fuckin' pretty. She gave me a wink, before climbing off her bike and running inside Hyper Thrust.
"Dude!" I heard Kobra say, as he gave me a light shove.
"Huh?" I replied, finally snapping out of whatever daydream I was in.
"Did you hear anything I said?"
"Nope. sorry"
"Figures"
"Come on, boys!" Ghoul smiled, walking ahead of everyone. "Let's fuckin' party!"
The inside of Hyper Thrust was packed with sweaty bodies everywhere. I actually had to physically push through the crowds just to get to the bar. I watched from my lone seat as everyone danced and drank. At one end, was the DJ booth. Inside was DJ Hot Chimp, playing music from Mad Gear and the Missile kid. Of course, my love struck little brother was there, trying to be suave. My pint size companion of Fun Ghoul was standing with a couple porno bots, already in full "get some" mode. Jet was drinking. He was simple. And I was bored.
"You look unhappy" a woman's voice said. I turned to my right and there she stood. It was that same girl on the dirt bike.
"Yeah," I replied. "But, I think it might be better now"
"Really?"
"Really"
"I'm Dolly Pop" she said, holding her hand out.
"Party Poison" I replied, taking it.
"Oh, I know exactly who you are. One of the Fabulous Killjoys."
"I'm that well known, huh?"
"Well, I see your wanted posters all over the zones."
"Let me guess then. You're a Zonerunner"
"Exactly" She smiled, sitting in the booth next to me. "You gotta have someone with a bulletproof heart to do that job."
"What's your story?"
"I go to Battery City a couple times a week. Get shit, get out"
"Not scared you're gonna get ghosted?"
"Nope. Just do what I can"
I know this may sound crazy, and believe I’ve thought situations like this were crazy. But, I was genuinely falling for this girl. She was so beautiful, and charming. I wanted something with her. I could see us, with a family, and a pet dog. I must have been fuckin' bonkers.
"Hey" she smiled, "why don't we get out of here"
"Sure. Gotta a place to go"
"Yeah, just a little ways from here at the border of Zone Four"
"Let's go"
Dolly Pop was staying nested in a small area right on the Route Guano. I was surprised by how small it actually was. The home looked like what used to be a trucking stop where the trucks get weighed. It had a bathroom, and a small room. The bathroom was actually pretty clean, and the room only held a full sized mattress with a single blanket and a couple pillows, an old panda bear toy, and a picture. Aside from her bed, was a standalone radio, capable of making transmissions.
"Welcome to my home." she said, "It ain't much, but I like it a lot."
"It's actually quite cozy."
"Thanks" I decided to examine that little stuff animal on the bed and I picked it up.
"Aww, cute!" I giggled.
"Hey!" Dolly exclaimed, snatching the panda away. "That’s a sentimental item."
"It's good to be sentimental."
"My mom gave it to me when I was little. It's the only thing I have left of her"
"I understand" I replied, sitting down on the mattress. I pulled back my blue jacket sleeve and adjusted the rosary bead that I never took off of my left wrist.
"This s my mom's. She was a big catholic when I was younger."
"She meet up with the Phoenix Witch?"
"Nah." I shrugged. "She's a Ritalin Rat in Battery City."
"I'm going to Battery City in a couple days" She smiled. "Want me to pop by her place and tell her that her baby is dying?"
"Huh?" I asked, making a confused face and feeling my stomach drop.
"Radio Rash. I can tell"
"That obvious" I sighed, ripping the stupid scarf from my neck.
"Pretty much. But then again, I’m pretty observant. I don't think anyone else at that damned club could have noticed."
"Good"
"How long do you have?"
"A month, I think."
"Live it up"
She was right. I couldn’t just sit here and wallow and think about Girl's future. I could plan as much as I wanted, but it would be difficult to even figure out everything.
"Do you ever think about life if all this didn't happen?"
"Yeah, all the time"
Dolly Pop walked over to the mattress and sat next to me. She smiles had become an almost sad face, and she laced her hands into my gloved ones.
"What do you think it would be like?"
"I think I would still be struggling with my daughter." I answered truthfully.
"You had a baby?"
"I didn't get to. My girl died in the fires. She was five months"
"I'm sorry"
"No need to be." I shrugged. "I wouldn’t want either of them in this world. Besides, my daughter is the reason why I protect Girl. I refuse to let anything bad happen to her because I feel like I’m supposed to be there."
I looked to Dolly Pop and instantly locked eyes with her. She wasn't just a pretty face. She was kind. It was definitely intoxicating. I was already falling for this new person I had just met, but every moment I was with her, I was falling deeper and deeper.
"You ever feel like life sometimes likes to fuck with you?" I asked.
"Yeah"
"Do you feel like that now?"
"No." She answered. I felt my heart sink. She took her gloved hands and cupped my face, pulling me close to her. "I feel like I'm being lead down the right path" She said, before kissing me.

Notes