Dead!

“What?” My voice comes out quiet and betrayed. “You need to leave” D says not breaking eye contact with me, his voice completely monotone.
The two of us were seated at a table in the main area of the diner. A few drac bodies are strewn across the floor. I try not to look at them. Pony has gone outside to check the dracs’ tech to make sure the diner hasn’t been reported to BLI.
I didn’t understand why D was telling me I had to leave. He’d never had a problem with me staying there until now. Was I a threat to the diner? My face must have displayed my confusion.
“You’re not safe here” he elaborated “Whatever happened in BLI messed you up. Your mental state is holding you back. I don’t want you to get hurt because of it. So I’m having Pony drive you out to The Nest tomorrow.” My eyes widened. Oh fuck no.
The Nest was like a safe haven for the Killjoys. As far as we knew BLI didn’t even know of its existence much less its location. Most of the people who lived at The Nest were Battery City citizens who had escaped, people who were injured in the Helium Wars, or the families of various Killjoys out in the desert. The Fab Four tried to send me and my old friends there when they found us out in the desert all those years ago but we managed to talk them out of it.
“D, I can’t go there” I said, panic becoming evident in my voice. It’s his turn to be confused. “Why not? You’ll be safe there. Isn’t that what you wanted here?”
“Yeah, but if you send me there, I won’t be able to help the cause at all. The people who run that place will never let me leave. I’d be stuck there.”
“How are you supposed to ‘help the cause’ when you can’t even pick up a gun?”
Okay, ow. I stood up and pushed my way out of the booth, turning away from him. I took a few steps away in an attempt to retreat to my room, but my foot gets caught on something causing me to stumble and then stop. I looked down and saw that it was one of the drac bodies. Just looking at it caused anger to bubble up inside me.
I was angry at BLI for taking away everything that ever mattered to me. I was angry at D for accusing me of being weak and unable to help. He didn’t even fully know what had happened, no idea what I was suffering with. He had no right to judge me like this. I was also angry at my general existence because it fucking sucked.
I lifted my foot and brought it down hard on the head of the draculoid at my feet. Hearing the bone crack under my foot cleared my head a little.
I had to figure a way out of this. There was no way D would let me stay here so my only other option would be to go back out into the desert. Just the thought of it sent a wave of excitement down my spine. Sure I was scared of the dangers it held but I also missed it. But D definitely wouldn’t let me go out there by myself.
A sudden thought struck me. Deadly Darling! She offered to let me stay with her if I ever wanted to. Maybe if D knew I was with someone he’d let me go.
“Look kid” D was saying whilst turning his wheelchair around so he was facing me. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m so- ““I have a friend” I cut him off, not wanting to hear his apologies as I was still cross with him. “A friend in the zones. “She said I could hang with here if I ever wanted to leave here.” I heard D purse his lips behind me. “I really don’t like the idea of you being out there at all”
I spun around to face him. “You know what? I don’t give a shit” I spat “I get it. This is your place; you can kick me out if you want. But you’re not in charge of me. I can make my own decisions and I’m deciding that I’m not going to the fucking Nest!”
D was glaring at me by the time I had finished. He stayed like that for a whole minute and when he finally opened his mouth to answer, I thought he was going to argue with me but he just sighed, bringing a hand up to rub at his temples.
“Fine, whatever. Do what you want. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” And with that he rolled past me in his wheelchair. He stopped at the doorway to the hallway that led to the backrooms. “I want you out by tonight.” He announced before rolling off.
I grinned.

Notes

mayhaps I've returned