Situations

The year is 2019, it's been 7 years since chaos descended on our world. Floods and natural disasters have left the world ravaged. All that is left of America are small districts, all controlled by the industry that rose from the ashes. Better Living Industries. All who oppose are torn down. All who rebel are ruined. All who dare to defy are destroyed. Yet there are stories of outlaws who fight against the system.
"Look alive, Sunshine! 109 in the sky but the pigs won't quit you're here with me: Dr. Death Defying I'll be your surgeon, your proctor-"
"Gee, turn that off. It's the same broadcast we've heard all week."
I shook the old radio, as if I could make new information come out of it. "I don't care. A voice is a voice, it's hope. It's the reason we fight." I watched Mikey roll his eyes.
"Mikey just let him listen to it. Is it that big of a deal? Don't listen to it if you have such a fucking problem with it." Ray said.
"Hey shut the fuck up." Mikey said. "I didn't ask for your opinion shithead."
I was sick of hearing them argue. We hadn't had any new information in weeks and there had only been two new broadcasts. We were all tired and desperate for new information. I didn't have the patience for this right now. I picked up the radio and a nearby bottle of booze. There was no point staying sober just to sit around and sulk. I took a drink and fiddled with the radio. The same broadcast came on again, and again. I already had it memorized. Just as I reached for the bottle of home brewed gin, Frank walked in.
"Gee we got a situation. Come on." I followed Frank out of the diner, back into the desert air. Our boots crunched on the sand, reminding me of the way the Draculoids skulls sounded as our bullets shot them to hell.
"She's banged up pretty bad." Mikey said. Ray handed him a bottle of clean water, their argument already forgotten. A girl sat on one of our chairs. She looked about 25, her brown hair was streaked with blue. She had dark eyes, so dark they were almost black. Her lips were so chapped I couldn't tell what color they were. She was covered in dirt and blood.
"What hurts?" I asked her. She looked at me, her eyes wide with suprise. She blinked at me, as if I was a mirage and she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"You're- You're- Party Poison. They talk about you all the time in Battery City. Your name is legendary and you're the most-"
"Woah calm down. I just need to know what hurts."
She blinked at me again. "My leg has a big cut, and there's a bunch of little ones on my arms. I'm okay though." I pulled up her pant legs to look for the cut but she stopped me. "It's on my thigh." She didn't look embarassed, she just undid her belt and slid her pants down to her knees. It was big, and the outside of the cut looked a little green. Dried blood caked the wound and I could see some fresh blood seep out.
"Hand me a light. " I commanded, instantly one was thrust into my outstretched hand. Her cut was even worse than I thought, I reached for a rag and she whimpered as I pressed it against her. "Ssh it's okay, I'm sorry it hurts. Just hold my other hand and it'll be over soon okay? Tell me how you got this cut."
She grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight, god she had a strong grip. "I had some trouble getting over the city wall.
"Well on the plus side, this doesn't look like it's going to need stitches. But you likely have an infection. You'll need to keep this clean until it heals and have it changed regularly. What's your name?"
"Marina." She looked at me with those big dark eyes. I looked back at her leg to avoid staring.
"So why are you here Marina? How did you find us?" I need to know how she found us. If a girl could find us, so could the corporation.
"There's always been rumors, as soon as you guys starting raiding and fighting back. They always said you guys lived in the desert with the others who rebelled. There aren't too many deserts close by Battery City are there?"
I shook my head. "No, I suppose you're right. Tell me more about these rumors you heard."
"Well there's a lot of them, I wasn't sure what was true and what was made up but most of them have some stuff in common. That you guys live in the desert, and you're freedom fighters. You wear these rad jackets and shoot the Draculoids." I watched her eyes light up when she talked about what she thought we did. "You guys break in and kill members of the corporation. You've robbed banks and gave away money to the poor, you're like a red head Robin Hood!"
I laughed, running my hand through my bright red hair. "Well I don't know about that. We just do what we think is right, that's all." She was still clutching my hand, even though I had stopped touching her wound. I pulled away slightly and she let go, pulling her pants back up she stood up from the chair. She gasped as she put weight on her bad leg.
"Do you need any help?" I asked as I put her arm around my neck, she leaned against me and I realized she was actually really short. She didn't even come up to my shoulder in this condition. "It would be easier if I just picked you up." I told her as I lifted her in my arms. She didn't resist but as I settled her in my arms I heard her heavy breathing. "I'm sorry it hurts, we'll be there soon." I turned around.
"Hey guys, who's she sleeping with?" I looked down at her apologetically, "We don't have a spare room for you, sorry." She murmured something I didn't catch, already falling asleep.
"Not with me." Frank said.
"I don't even know her!" Mikey protested.
"Yeah man, she's not staying with me." Ray said.
I rolled my eyes. Guess she'd just have to sleep with me.

Notes

First chapter, I've been working on this since March. Feedback is greatly appreciated.