Ghoul’s POV
The next few weeks fall into a weird pattern. Star is either reading Jet’s journals like she’s trying to will him back to life by learning every thought he’s ever written down or she’s crying on their bedroom floor. I don’t think she’s sleeping much. When I ask, she mumbles nightmares and I let it go. She won’t talk about it, I’ve tried. Poison on the other hand has become obsessed with sex. It took me a day or two to realize he’s using it sleep. If I wear him out enough he can sleep. Don’t get me wrong, but I’m exhausted. Once he falls asleep I try to make sure Star eats something, I can hear her throwing up occasionally and try to talk to her. I guess the grief is different for everyone. So ultimately I’m getting less sleep than ever. I’m not sure how I’m coping. When I can get a shower to myself I cry, sometimes uncontrollably. I can’t let Poison know, I have to be strong for him. I miss Mikey and Ray so much.

Poison’s POV
It’s been few weeks now and we are dealing. Not well, but dealing. We eat silently most days. Ghoul tries to engage us in conversation. Star normally has a book in her hand and waves off any attempt to talk to her. It’s like she’s studying Jet. I’m afraid of what happens when the notebooks run out. Ghoul hasn’t touched his guitar since it happened. I worry about him. He’s being so strong; he even placed a white table cloth on a table and put Mikey’s and Ray’s helmets on it. It’s a sad little shrine, needs something but I’m not sure what just yet. I’m still staring at the table when Ghoul leaves the couch and turns the radio on. He comes back and puts his arm around me and I kiss him. We break when we hear Doctor Death Defying’s voice.

DDD Some good news from the Zones, Cleric hasn’t been spotted in over a month and no word on him in the City. Stay safe out there kiddies and a shout out to the Killjoys – make some noise!
FG We need to talk to him.
PP It was Cleric. I knew it!
Star looks up from her book for the first time registering a conversation is going on around her.
OC What? What about Cleric?
PP Doctor D says he hasn’t been seen in over a month. You must’ve killed him.
FG We really don’t know I’d be hesitant to say that.
OC A month? Has it been so long?
FG We need to go talk to Doctor D.
PP Tomorrow?
FG Yeah we need to tell him about the boys.

The next day we head out to see Doctor D; he keeps broadcasting from the same locations switching every so often. Only a few know when and where to find him; the boys do.

PP This was a waste of a damn day!
FG Now don’t be that way.
PP We still don’t know why the Dracs and Cleric showed up at the station and killed ….killed
OC Mikey and Ray. They killed Mikey and Ray, Poison.
She looks up from the journal.
OC Can’t you say it?
PP FUCK you Star!
FG Hey now, this won’t do anyone any good.
PP Stay out of it Ghoul.
I shake off his hand on my arm and turn back to Star.
PP You keep your nose buried in those books all the time, you don’t even know what’s going on around here!
FG Poison, she’s family
PP Family?! She’s a ghost, she haunts this place.
OC I know more of what’s going on here then you do.
PP Really?
OC Fuck You! Do you know that Ghoul cries in the shower? That is when he isn’t trying to satisfy YOUR SEXUAL appetite. He’s not stupid. He knows that you are sleeping only because he wears your ass out two and three times a day. He sleeps less than 4 hours a night. He always tries to make sure you and I eat, that we are coping, that we are functioning; who is taking care of him? HUH? It sure as hell isn’t you!
FG Star that’s not fair.
I turn to Ghoul and look at him. Really look – he’s thinner and has dark circles under his eyes, his eyes are bloodshot and he looks so tired.
PP Baby? It’s true isn’t it?
FG Not exactly. Maybe kind of but I don’t mind. I love you and I’m just trying to be strong for you.
OC He’s the weak one. The mighty Party Poison, HA nothing but a sad little twink who can’t handle his own shit!
She clamps her hand over her mouth and rushes into the bathroom and we hear her vomiting. I’m stunned. Not by her words but by my behavior. I turn to Ghoul and take his hand.
PP I’m so sorry baby. I’ve been behaving so selfishly. I’ve just been existing I’ll try to get better and I promise I’ll take care of you too.
FG I know baby and I appreciate that but we should check on her, don’t you think?
We hear a flush and the sink running. She walks out looking pale.
OC I’m sorry Poison. I don’t know why I said those things. I don’t believe them. I don’t believe you’re weak. Ghoul, forgive me for sharing your secrets. They weren’t mine to share.
FG its okay Star.
PP Are you okay?
OC Oh uh yeah I think so.
FG You’ve been sick a lot lately.
OC It’s just the grief. I threw up a lot when my parents died too.
PP Are you sure?
Doctor D (on the radio) Bad news from the zones Tumbleweeds, It looks like Jet-Star and the Kobra kid
had a clap with an exterminator that went all Costa Rica and uh, got themselves ghosted, dusted out on Route Guano. So it's time to hit the red-line and up thrust the volume out there. Keep your boots tight, keep your gun close and die with your mask on if you've got to - Here is the traffic.
OC He didn’t waste any time in telling the world, did he?
PP What does that mean?
OC Did he need to tell EVERYONE?
FG I don’t know that it matters now.
OC No, I uh guess it doesn’t. I’m turning in. Goodnight.
She walks out of the room. And I sit down on the couch and look at Ghoul.
PP Weird chic.
FG Yeah, no wonder Ray was nuts about her.
PP I meant what I said. I’m so sorry Frankie. I’ve been mired in my own hell. I didn’t think how it affected you.
Ghoul kneels in front of me and takes my face in his hand.
FG Baby I just want you to be safe and know you are loved. The good and the bad, remember? I promised to be by you for all of it. And this has just been the bad; we’ll get back to the good again.
PP Will we?
FG Yeah, I know we will.
I kiss him gently then release him and sit back on the couch. He looks at me puzzled. Normally I’d be all over him and he’d be half naked.
PP I want you to go to bed and get some sleep. I’m gonna come up with some color to go with our shrine over there. Maybe paint Star’s helmet too, feeling the need to create something. And I want you to rest.
FG Oh, o.k. Are you sure?
PP Yeah, go on now. Sleep. Go to bed.
He gets to our bedroom door and turns back to me.
PP I mean it! Sleep Frankie, I’m fine.
FG It’s just.
PP What?
FG You’ve never used that tone with me. All forceful, commanding; I think I like it.
I laugh.
PP Jesus Frank, go to bed before I cave in.
FG Only if you promise to use that tone again.
PP Ugh, won’t you just listen and go to bed. Fine, I promise!
FG I’m really turned on right now.
I shake my head and he closes the door. I stand, gather my art supplies and walk over to the make shift shrine. Purposefully not looking at the bedroom; I sigh.
PP I will let the man sleep. I will not run in there like a dog in heat. I will leave him alone. Tonight any way.

Original Character’s POV
I place the last journal on the bookshelf. I’ve read them all. Good thing too, since Doctor DJ’s announcement pushes my plan into effect. I have to return to Battery City and kill Korse. I go to the desk to write Poison and Ghoul a note letting them know where I am since I don’t plan to return. I find one last glimpse into Jet’s mind and it says, ‘FOR MY STAR’ at the top.
It reads,
When the lights go out
Will you take me with you
And carry all this broken bone
Through six years down in crowded rooms
And highways I call home?
Something I can't know 'til now.
'Til you pick me off the ground
With a brick in hand, your lip-gloss smile,
Your scraped-up knees.
And if you stay I would even wait all night
Or until my heart explodes.
How long?
'Til we find our way in the dark and out of harm
You can run away with me anytime you want
Terrified of what I'd be
As a kid from what I've seen
Every single day when people try
And put the pieces back together
Just to smash them down
Turn my headphones up real loud
I don't think I need them now
'Cause you stopped the noise.
OC Oh Jet
I drop the paper and sink into the chair and cry. I place my head on my knees and sob as the pain rips through my heart again.
OC I’ll be there soon, baby. I promise.
I cry until I feel the bile rising in my throat and have to run to the bathroom to throw up. I wash my face and sigh heavily as I return to the room and flip the paper over and write my note to the boys. I grab my backpack and throw in a few things and flop on the bed. Jets scent has faded and I can barely smell it anymore. Tomorrow morning I’ll take my car and return to the city. I’ll have to put on quite a performance for Korse and the others but I can do it. Once I blow up the tablet factory I can kill Korse then let them kill me or kill myself. Either way I don’t care as long as I’m dead by the end of tomorrow. I’ll be with Jet and all will be fine. I fall asleep without crying myself out of tears for the first time since Jet died.

Notes