Bad News From The Zones, Tumbleweeds
Killjoy Compound
Ghoul’s POV
I wake up and I’m alone in the bed. Did Poison even come to bed? I roll over and see his side is crumpled so I’m thinking he’s already up.
When I walk into the living room I see his work from last night, there is a portrait of Ray and Mikey above the table where their helmets sit. It’s beautiful. They both look young and happy and at peace. He also painted the table cloth; it’s now a mashup of Jet’s flag from his jacket and Mikey’s yellow and black shirt.
PP What do you think?
I turn to see him standing in the kitchen doorway.
FG It’s beautiful. I can’t believe you did all this in one night. Did you sleep at all?
PP Yeah for a few hours, come on I made breakfast.
FG Really?
PP Don’t act so surprised. Go get Star and let’s have a family meal.
I didn’t question his behavior. This is the closest to ‘normal’ Poison has been since they died. I knock on Star’s door and when there is no answer, I step inside.
FG Star? We’ve got breakfast, come eat.
I see her bed is made and no one is in the room. As I move to check the bathroom I see a note on the desk.
Dear Poison and Ghoul,
I can’t really explain what I’m doing, cause I’m not sure myself. I’m taking the car and heading into the city. If I can I’m going to further the Killjoy cause and kill Korse. It’s his fault Jet and Kid are dead. I thought it was mine but it’s his. It is mine too and if I get killed doing this at least I’ll be with Jet. You two have been so kind to me. I promised Jet I’d protect you and this is the only way I can see to do it.
Star Child
FG MOTHERFUCKER!
PP What!? What is it?
He comes rushing into the room.
FG She left, she’s on some crazy suicide mission.
PP What?
FG Here you read it.
PP Jesus, what is she thinking?
FG I don’t know, she hasn’t really been all there lately. Maybe I should have tried more to engage her; I just didn’t want to push.
PP What does she mean it’s her fault?
FG I don’t know. Should we go after her?
PP How? We have no idea where she is going or how she’ll enter the city.
FG Yeah but –
PP No it could make things worse.
FG How does she think she’s gonna get to Korse in the city?
PP I don’t know. Let’s go eat breakfast.
FG She’s lost it hasn’t she?
PP I don’t know we will have to wait and see if she returns.
FG And do what in the meantime?
PP We wait.
Two days later….Original Character’s POV
I pull into the canyon and up to the garage. I turn the engine off and take a deep breath; I’m not sure how much to share with these guys. I’ve been wrestling with telling them I’m Cleric vs not. If I do tell them, then they may only let me live till the baby is born. Or worse, they will kill me and the baby. I decide to not tell them. As I open the car door and get out, I see Poison and Ghoul standing at the back door watching me. I grab my backpack of stolen baby data and walk towards them.
FG What the fuck Star? Do you have any idea how worried we’ve been?
PP Wait Ghoul, let’s go inside and hear her out.
OC I’m sorry, really.
I follow them into the living room and drop my bag at my feet as we sit down.
FG What were you thinking?
PP Let her speak.
OC I had every intention of going into the city and blowing up the tablet factories and killing Korse. I can’t live without Jet. I know you are mad and I don’t have an excuse. I thought if I get killed doing it, then I’ll be with Jet and the pain will stop. I’m sorry, I’m the weak one. It just hurts too much. Being here, being in his room, seeing so much of him everywhere and knowing I’m here alone.
PP You aren’t alone. You have us.
OC I mean without him.
FG So what happened? How’d you get in the city and what made you think you could get close to Korse? Why did you say it was your fault?
PP Slow down, one at a time.
I sigh heavily and prepare for the worst.
OC I was the one who blew off their premonitions at the building. It’s my fault because we all let our guard down because of me. They are dead because of me, don’t you two see it?
PP That’s ridiculous!
OC No, it’s not. Kid said it would have been better if they had never found me and he’s right. If I wasn’t in the picture, then they’d be alive. Only…
FG Only what?
OC I went to a Med Center just to make sure the throwing up was just grief and nerves but…
PP But what? Are you okay?
OC Here. I can’t say it, I can hardly believe it.
I pull the Med Report from my pocket and hand it to them. I see them read it and look up at me. I can’t tell how this is gonna go. They are both quiet, too quiet.
OC See? I couldn’t let Jet’s baby get hurt so I came back. I have to wait until the baby comes; I can’t let anything happen this is the last piece of Jet left. See?
FG Baby. Jet’s baby.
PP OH MY GOD
Poison jumps up and rushes towards me and I naturally flinch afraid of his reaction. He hugs me.
PP Ghoul! We are gonna have a baby!
Ghoul stands and joins in. It’s another three way hug, but this time tears of joy.
PP I’m so fucking happy!
FG We don’t know the first thing about having a baby. What are we gonna do?
OC I stole some data. Hopefully everything we need to bring the baby safely into this world.
I open the back pack and show them.
PP This is great!
FG How did you get this? How did you get out?
OC Look, I don’t want to lie to you guys. I stole it and killed the clerk. I did a few more things while there too, nothing good and nothing I want to share. Can you leave it at that?
PP Star, I know things have been bad. You were right when you said I was being selfish, I’m trying to make an effort to return to something like normalcy. You don’t know our full pasts and we’ve all done bad things to get by. I can leave it at that.
FG Let’s make this a new beginning for our family. But know that if you ever want to talk about anything, past, present or future. We will listen. Won’t we?
PP Always.
OC Thank you.
I wake up and I’m alone in the bed. Did Poison even come to bed? I roll over and see his side is crumpled so I’m thinking he’s already up.
When I walk into the living room I see his work from last night, there is a portrait of Ray and Mikey above the table where their helmets sit. It’s beautiful. They both look young and happy and at peace. He also painted the table cloth; it’s now a mashup of Jet’s flag from his jacket and Mikey’s yellow and black shirt.
PP What do you think?
I turn to see him standing in the kitchen doorway.
FG It’s beautiful. I can’t believe you did all this in one night. Did you sleep at all?
PP Yeah for a few hours, come on I made breakfast.
FG Really?
PP Don’t act so surprised. Go get Star and let’s have a family meal.
I didn’t question his behavior. This is the closest to ‘normal’ Poison has been since they died. I knock on Star’s door and when there is no answer, I step inside.
FG Star? We’ve got breakfast, come eat.
I see her bed is made and no one is in the room. As I move to check the bathroom I see a note on the desk.
Dear Poison and Ghoul,
I can’t really explain what I’m doing, cause I’m not sure myself. I’m taking the car and heading into the city. If I can I’m going to further the Killjoy cause and kill Korse. It’s his fault Jet and Kid are dead. I thought it was mine but it’s his. It is mine too and if I get killed doing this at least I’ll be with Jet. You two have been so kind to me. I promised Jet I’d protect you and this is the only way I can see to do it.
Star Child
FG MOTHERFUCKER!
PP What!? What is it?
He comes rushing into the room.
FG She left, she’s on some crazy suicide mission.
PP What?
FG Here you read it.
PP Jesus, what is she thinking?
FG I don’t know, she hasn’t really been all there lately. Maybe I should have tried more to engage her; I just didn’t want to push.
PP What does she mean it’s her fault?
FG I don’t know. Should we go after her?
PP How? We have no idea where she is going or how she’ll enter the city.
FG Yeah but –
PP No it could make things worse.
FG How does she think she’s gonna get to Korse in the city?
PP I don’t know. Let’s go eat breakfast.
FG She’s lost it hasn’t she?
PP I don’t know we will have to wait and see if she returns.
FG And do what in the meantime?
PP We wait.
Two days later….Original Character’s POV
I pull into the canyon and up to the garage. I turn the engine off and take a deep breath; I’m not sure how much to share with these guys. I’ve been wrestling with telling them I’m Cleric vs not. If I do tell them, then they may only let me live till the baby is born. Or worse, they will kill me and the baby. I decide to not tell them. As I open the car door and get out, I see Poison and Ghoul standing at the back door watching me. I grab my backpack of stolen baby data and walk towards them.
FG What the fuck Star? Do you have any idea how worried we’ve been?
PP Wait Ghoul, let’s go inside and hear her out.
OC I’m sorry, really.
I follow them into the living room and drop my bag at my feet as we sit down.
FG What were you thinking?
PP Let her speak.
OC I had every intention of going into the city and blowing up the tablet factories and killing Korse. I can’t live without Jet. I know you are mad and I don’t have an excuse. I thought if I get killed doing it, then I’ll be with Jet and the pain will stop. I’m sorry, I’m the weak one. It just hurts too much. Being here, being in his room, seeing so much of him everywhere and knowing I’m here alone.
PP You aren’t alone. You have us.
OC I mean without him.
FG So what happened? How’d you get in the city and what made you think you could get close to Korse? Why did you say it was your fault?
PP Slow down, one at a time.
I sigh heavily and prepare for the worst.
OC I was the one who blew off their premonitions at the building. It’s my fault because we all let our guard down because of me. They are dead because of me, don’t you two see it?
PP That’s ridiculous!
OC No, it’s not. Kid said it would have been better if they had never found me and he’s right. If I wasn’t in the picture, then they’d be alive. Only…
FG Only what?
OC I went to a Med Center just to make sure the throwing up was just grief and nerves but…
PP But what? Are you okay?
OC Here. I can’t say it, I can hardly believe it.
I pull the Med Report from my pocket and hand it to them. I see them read it and look up at me. I can’t tell how this is gonna go. They are both quiet, too quiet.
OC See? I couldn’t let Jet’s baby get hurt so I came back. I have to wait until the baby comes; I can’t let anything happen this is the last piece of Jet left. See?
FG Baby. Jet’s baby.
PP OH MY GOD
Poison jumps up and rushes towards me and I naturally flinch afraid of his reaction. He hugs me.
PP Ghoul! We are gonna have a baby!
Ghoul stands and joins in. It’s another three way hug, but this time tears of joy.
PP I’m so fucking happy!
FG We don’t know the first thing about having a baby. What are we gonna do?
OC I stole some data. Hopefully everything we need to bring the baby safely into this world.
I open the back pack and show them.
PP This is great!
FG How did you get this? How did you get out?
OC Look, I don’t want to lie to you guys. I stole it and killed the clerk. I did a few more things while there too, nothing good and nothing I want to share. Can you leave it at that?
PP Star, I know things have been bad. You were right when you said I was being selfish, I’m trying to make an effort to return to something like normalcy. You don’t know our full pasts and we’ve all done bad things to get by. I can leave it at that.
FG Let’s make this a new beginning for our family. But know that if you ever want to talk about anything, past, present or future. We will listen. Won’t we?
PP Always.
OC Thank you.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it and commented. It was a labor of love. I'm working on some one shots now. The views here keep going up but no one comments. I glad it came across as I intended at least to you. Thank you!
1/17/18