Bad News From The Zones, Tumbleweeds

This chapter begins from Jet-Star’s point of view, and then switches to our original character….you.
JSIM Jet’s inner monologue
OCIM Original character’s inner monologue
Italics are for movement / stage direction


Laughing they approach the building. Kid first, then Jet and Star.
JSIM I bumped Kid in the shoulder as we walk through the door, he looks back at me and I see over his shoulder three Dracs, guns drawn.
JS KID! STAR TAKE COVER, DRACS!
JSIM I draw and aim but it’s too late. The closest one has fired and Kid goes down. I hear Star scream as she pushes me down to Kid. Mikey. Oh my God Mikey. Mikey has taken a shot to the chest, bastards. Those BASTARDS! There is more shooting and then silence. I hear crying. It’s me. I pull Mikey into my arms and put pressure on the wound, its pumping blood out of his skinny body.
Mikey coughs and says, “Ray, I...”
Don’t speak, save your strength.
Stubborn bastard keeps talking, “Tell Gee, I love him.”
JSIM Oh God, Gerard. He’s gonna crumble without Mikey. I’m crying harder, tears dripping on Mikey’s face. Star is holding his hand.
OC I’m sure he knows.
Mikey says, “I’m sorry Star; I won’t be around to harass you.”
OC I’m sorry too Kid.
Stop Mikey, just stop. Save your energy. Gerard will be here soon.
JSIM Please God let them say goodbye. Gerard will not forgive me.
Mikey is crying now too. “No, I won’t last. Don’t leave me here. Promise me.”
JSIM I promised. Please let him hang on.
He says, “I love you Ray.”
JSIM OH GOD PLEASE DON’T DO THIS, PLEASE
I love you Mikey. I’ll always love you.
OC He’s gone.
They stay frozen for a few minutes. Both crying.
OC Jet baby, he’s gone. I’m so sorry.
Jet holds Mikey in his arms, crying and softly whispering to him, and rocking him gently.
Don’t leave me. Mikey, please. Stay. Stay with me. Stay. Stay.
OC I’m going to check the room. Aren’t your friends supposed to be here?
JSIM I hear Star talking but it’s as if she’s far away. I’m not registering what she is saying. She stands and moves away from us.
OC There’s no one else here. Your DJ friend isn’t here; I found a pillow for him. You need to let go of him.
She starts to pull Mikey out of Jet’s arms.
OC It will be okay Jet. Lay him down on the pillow. We need to figure out how to carry him out of here.
Jet lets her help him lay Mikey’s body down on the hard floor, a pillow under his head. They stand. Star brushes Jet’s hair out of his face.
OC I’m so sorry baby.
I’m supposed to protect him. He’s my brother too.
Star takes Jet in her arms and holds him close.
OC You are a good friend, he loved you. I love you.
JSIM I hold her close as I break down and cry. She lets me cry, she holds me and whispers that she loves me and Mikey loves me when I release Star, I look in her eyes. She is my heart and soul.
I love you Star Child.
OC I love you too.
Where is Dr. D?
OC I don’t know, there isn’t anyone in the building but us. Do you think they got hurt?
I don’t know maybe there weren’t here when these assholes arrived.
Jet looks around the rooms and occasionally kicks a dead Drac as he passes one. Star looks down at Mikey and starts to cry again.
Hey, come here.
He pulls her into his arms and hugs her tightly.
OC I’m sorry Jet, I was the one blowing off your premonition. If I hadn’t maybe we would have been more careful and Mikey would be alive.
Tears are running down his face but he smiles at Star.
You can’t play that game. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. I learned that long ago. In fact Mikey taught me; it’s awful he’s gone and I’m gonna miss that motherfucker like nobody’s business but you can’t blame yourself. That shit will kill you slowly. Mikes would say the same thing.
Star smiles weakly through the tears and nods. They kiss but pull apart when they hear sounds of a car approaching and an engine stopping.
OC The guys?
Yeah, I don’t want Gerard to see him like this surrounded by Dracs. Help me carry him?
Together they pick Mikey up and hold him between them. His arms around their shoulders, it looks like he’s drunk and they are helping him to the car.
JSIM It’s awkward carrying him. Star isn’t as tall as us. How am I gonna tell Gerard and Frank? I’m still in something of a haze. We get to the door and I hear voices outside, just as Star opens it and we move through I realize it’s not Poison and Ghoul. It’s an Exterminator and three more Dracs. I’m a right hand draw and I let Star take all of Mikey’s weight as I reach for my gun and fire. I take out two of them before the Exterminator fires and the warmth spreads quickly from my shoulder across my chest.
Star is on her feet and makes quick work of the Drac and Exterminator. Dropping to her knees she grabs Jet and pulls him into her lap just as Jet did to Kid.
Forever didn’t last long enough.
OC FUCK Oh Jet – you can’t leave me!
Protect the boys. Always remember I love you.
OC NO! DON’T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!
JSIM I reach up and stroke Star’s cheek one last time and smile remembering every moment with her since we met. Such a short time together, like a burst of color in a world of black and white hell. I don’t have the strength to say I’m sorry I wasn’t a faster shot. I think of Mikey. I can see him smiling and holding his arms open to me for a hug. He’s shining brightly and the warmth covers me like a blanket. He says, “You didn’t have to rush to get here dumbass.” I ask Mikey, “What about Star?” his smile wavers slightly. “She’s tough, it’ll be hard but the boys will help her through.” I look at Star and see the tears running down her face.
Don’t play that game Star. Promise me baby.
OC Oh God no, please don’t take him. Jet, I love you.
Promise you won’t blame yourself, promise me.
JSIM I look into her eyes one final time and things go dark.

*SWICHING POV TO OUR ORIGINAL CHARACTER – back tracking a bit*

OCIM watching Jet hold Kid in his arms, I’m paralyzed with dread. How did I let this happen? Jet’s whispering in Kid’s ear – I can’t hear what he’s saying but he’s crying and my heart breaks.
I’m going to check the room. Aren’t your friends supposed to be here?
OCIM What happened to the DJ? Did they know this was a trap? Where they in on it? I search the room and find we are alone.
There’s no one else here. Your DJ friend isn’t here; I found a pillow for him. You need to let go of him. It will be okay Jet. Lay him down on the pillow. We need to figure out how to carry him out of here.
OCIM I get Jet to his feet and hug him tightly.
I’m so sorry baby.
JS I’m supposed to protect him. He’s my brother too.
You are a good friend, he loved you. I love you.
JS I love you Star Child.
I love you too.
JS Where is Dr. D?
I don’t know there isn’t anyone in the building but us. Do you think they got hurt?
JS I don’t know maybe there weren’t here when these assholes arrived.
Jet looks around the rooms and occasionally kicks a dead Drac as he passes one.
OCIM I look at Kobra Kid, Mikey lying on the floor. Still, motionless, dead. I can’t believe this. I start to cry again.
JS Hey, come here.
I’m sorry Jet; I was the one blowing off your premonition. If I hadn’t maybe we would have been more careful and Mikey would be alive.
Tears are running down his face but he smiles at Star.
JS You can’t play that game. Woulda, coulda, shoulda. I learned that long ago. In fact Mikey taught me; it’s awful he’s gone and I’m gonna miss that motherfucker like nobody’s business but you can’t blame yourself. That shit will kill you slowly. Mikes would say the same thing.
Star smiles weakly through the tears and nods. They kiss but pull apart when they hear sounds of a car approaching and an engine stopping.
OC The guys?
Yeah, I don’t want Gerard to see him like this surrounded by Dracs. Help me carry him?
Together they pick Mikey up and hold him between them. His arms around their shoulders, it looks like he’s drunk and they are helping him to the car.
OCIM As we make our way out of the building, Jet drops Mikey on me and I fall under his weight. I hear the shots and look up to see the four BLI assholes. I lay Mikey down as best I can and hear Jet scream as he is shot by the Exterminator. I stand and everything slows down. I see the Exterminator recognize me as I shoot him in the head.
FUCK
OCIM The Drac next to him watches the Exterminator fall as I take my next shot and shoot him in the eye. Before he falls to the ground, I’m on my knees pulling Jet to me. Jet is talking to me.
JS Forever didn’t last long enough.
Oh Jet – you can’t leave me!
JS Protect the boys. Always remember I love you.
NO! DON’T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!
OCIM I can see the light fading in his beautiful brown eyes. I brush his curly hair out of his face. He strokes my cheek. He can’t die. He can’t leave me alone. What do I do now?!
JS Don’t play that game Star. Promise me baby.
OCIM I can’t let him go. This is MY fault.
Oh God no, please don’t take him. Jet, I love you.
JS Promise you won’t blame yourself, promise me.
OCIM Jet goes limp in my arms and I lose it. I know I’m screaming but I have no idea what I’m saying. I hold him close and rock back and forth begging him to stay with me. I shake Jet as I hold him.
DON’T YOU FUCKING LEAVE ME! JET! PLEASE OH GOD, PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME.
OCIM I brush the hair out of his face. He’s so beautiful. His face is smudged with dirt and tears and he’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I try to memorize every detail. I plant little kisses all over his face trying to infuse my love into each one. How the fucking hell did I let this happen?!
OH God baby, I’m so sorry.
OCIM I hold him close and whisper in his ear.
This is my fault. This is ALL my fault.
OCIM I’m trembling with rage and guilt. I hear a car approach and I don’t even look up. More Dracs, I don’t care. My love is dead, let them kill me. What do I have to live for? I can’t go back to BLI; I won’t go back to Korse. I hear voices and men approaching, my training kicks in and I draw my gun before even looking at who is approaching. Someone is calling my name but I can’t process it. I look up to see Fun Ghoul and Party Poison staring at me wide eyed and screaming….what are they saying? I have my gun aimed at them, Ghoul steps in front of Poison and he’s saying something to me. Tears cloud my eyes and I try to focus on what he’s saying. Does it matter? Kid is dead. Jet is dead. I want to be dead. I turn the gun on myself and point it at my temple and everything goes black.

Notes