Keep Running

Chapter 11: Summertime

  Chapter 11: Summertime

Poison stared into the glass of water in his hand. He moved it around as he focused on the water splashing back and forth. He sat in a dusty chair in the tight small recording room of Dr. Death Defying. The chair was directly behind the desk where Dr. D did all of his broadcasts and Poison watched as he spoke loud and proud into the microphone.

"From your eye in the sky, stay alive out there, sunshine! Dr. Death Defying out-". Dr. D turned off his "ON AIR" sign and turned off all of his microphones and monitors and rotated to look to Party Poison. Poison sat there, his left leg shaking as he nervously bounced it up and down. He took a sip of his water and looked to Death Defying.
"So this is how you do it all?" Poison asked. "It's a little bit less than I expected." He smirked and chuckled awkwardly then took another sip.
"Poison" said Dr. Death Defying ignoring his question. "You're nervous and scared for Fun Ghoul- I know. You haven't been able to sit still since we got here." Poison stayed silent. It was true. He couldn't't stop thinking about Fun Ghoul. It was really hard to focus on anything but the fact that Fun Ghoul may never come back- it hurt Poison so much. "We have other things to think about Poison- If we are going to act, we better act now and fast." continued Dr. Death Defying. Poison knew exactly what he was talking about. They needed to get the girl back. Poison focused his attention to Dr. D while he took a sip of his water. It was almost gone.
"We believe we should strike late night, almost early morning." Poison nodded as Dr. D told him the battle plan. "We have to be stealthy and break into the headquarters of BL/Ind." Dr D then pulled out a map of Battery City and diagrams of BL/Ind out of his desk drawers and spread them out in front of him and Poison. "That's where some of my sources tell me she could possibly be." he said as he pointed to the maps.
"Sources?" asked Poison. Dr. D laughed. "Well of course! I-" the sound of a vehicle sounded near as tired screeched outside. Poison jumped up and set down the cup he was holding.
"Poison- where are you going?" asked Dr. Death Defying. Poison said quickly.
"They're back".

He ran outside of the recording room and the sun instantly hit his eyes. He shielded them with his hand as he saw the white van and his TransAM parked with rebels jumping out of the two. They looked rough.
"Poison" one of the rebels said. "Get Dr. D- we'we've got some injured rebels in the van"
"Where's Fun Ghoul..?" asked Poison. There was silence and the rebel hesitated.
"He..." the rebel couldn't't finish. He just shook his head and Poison knew what that meant. He felt his stomach drop, he felt like he was going to get sick.
"Poison" said another rebel as he got out of the TransAM. He had a long gash on the center of his left cheek. "He fought off those scarecrows - there were just too many of them..." Poison looked to the ground and nodded. Fun Ghoul was gone?
"Here" said the rebel with the gash on his cheek. "We thought you should keep this." He handed Poison Fun Ghoul's purple and green Frankenstein mask. Poison reached for it and held it in his hands.
"Thank you" said Poison quietly. This was all he had left? How could he have called himself a leader when his entire team had collapsed right before his eyes. The mask stared into Poisons eyes, almost like Fun Ghoul was staring right back at him.

"Poison.." said Dr. Death Defying. He rolled up behind Poison and reached to put his hand on the killjoys shoulder "You gonna be okay to-"
"Yea" Poison said softly and walked back to the recording room. Dr. D sighed as he watched Poison walk away.
Dr Death Defying watched as Party Poison walked into the building but he knew Poison needed some alone time. So, he returned to the dusty white van and the TransAM and reconnected with the rebels. He spoke to the fighters about information and tended to the injured carefully and quickly. By this time it was almost dark and Dr. D invited all rebels inside for some dinner. He didn't't have much, but he did know he had enough pup food to go around for everyone. Gross but all he really could find affordable. Dr. Death Defying made his way to the recording room first to make sure they had enough food. As he rolled in he saw Party Poison, hunched over Dr Death Defying's desk, examining the maps he left laid out.
"Poison" said Dr D. Party Poison jumped a looked up at the man in the door way. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you.. Would you like to stay for some dinner?" 

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Rebels sat all around the cramped recording room and ate cans of this pup food as they shared stories and had a good time. Party Poison stayed in the corner. He was in awe and shock. Never has he seen so much happiness after a friends death. He spoke up.
"How do we just sit here?" he said rather loudly, catching everyone off guard, given that Poison really hadn't said much all afternoon. "How do we just sit here and laugh and play games when we just lost one of our friends?" There was a pause. An awkward silence fell across the room.
A rebel spoke up who was just as quiet as Poison that night. He was the rebel who handed Party Poison Fun Ghoul's mask. The gash on his face was now covered by a bandage.

"If Satan screams out loud and violence is the only sound. When the engines come squealing demons reeling. The dance ground, just a mask among the crowd. You need to hold on tight to whatever gets you through the night. Beyond the cover pages give you color. That ink will never run dry..." Poison's eyes locked with the rebels. "Killjoys.." the rebel hesitated but he continued "Killjoys Never Die"
Party Poison was speechless. Never had words rang so true to his heart.
"Well spoken, Cherri Cola" said Dr. Death Defying as he nodded. The room was still silent. Then Party Poison spoke up.
"Lets do this" the rebels looked to Poison confused.There was no time to hide now. It was time to do it loud and do it proud.
"Let's go get her back" Party Poison smirked as he set down his can of pup food and reached for his mask out of his back pocket.
"Now that is what I'm talking about!" exclaimed a rebel as they all joined in howling and getting pumped to storm Battery City. Party Poison couldn't help but smile.
"Now wait a second" said Dr. Death Defying. "You boys can't just dive in head first. You need a plan"
So the rebels sat around and made plans until most of the rebels grew tired or fell asleep. The last rebels awake were only Party Poison, Cherri Cola and Dr. Death Defying.
"Can we agree on this..?" asked Cherri Cola. Party Poison looked over the plans for the hundredth time.
"I think this could work fellas- I say we all get sleep now so we can be well rested for the training and preparation. We'll strike early the next morning, before sunrise." The three nodded. "Okay, agreed" said Dr. Death Defying. "Well then time to hit the hay-"
"Wait" Poison said quickly " I want to request something" the tired eyes of Dr D and Cherri Cola looked to him. Poison spoke clearly. "I'll do this operation if you allow me to go into the Bl/Ind headquarters alone.." The two rebels looked at Poison as if he was a mad man.
"Are you kidding?" asked Cherri Cola. "It's dangerous to go alone- what if you get caught and there is no backup to help you?"
Poison shook his head. "You rebels wait outside. Ill break down the gates of Battery City with the TransAM- later you guys can come in an you can pick up the girl in the white van to take her back out to the zones. I'll be behind you guys in the TransAM shortly." There was silence. Party Poison looked to the uneasy Dr Death Defying. "Please- let me do this. I don't know why but it feels right to save her on my own." After much contemplation, Dr. Death Defying sighed and nodded. "Okay okay- you can go alone at first. But you can depend on us waiting for you when you return with the girl." Cherri Cola looked scared for the fear of this plan failing but Party Poison just sincerely said
"Thank You Dr D."
"Now lets get some rest. We've got some preparing to do tomorrow. They all agreed and scattered around the tiny room to find places to sleep. Dr. D seemed to have fallen asleep instantly. The room was full of snores and sleeping men. Party Poison stayed awake as he leaned against the wall where he sat. 

"Poison" said a voice in the dark. It was Cherri Cola "Are you sure about this?"
Poison couldn't  help but smile 

"Cola- Whatever you said while we were eating. That was amazing. I never got a chance to say this.. so thanks.."

"Anytime" said Cola flattered.
"Now get some rest, Cola."Party Poison laid down and turned on his side."We've got a lot to do"
Party Poison closed his eyes and fell asleep. That was quickest Poison had fallen asleep in a long time. It was nice change. For the first time in a while- Party Poison was a peace at the thought of Fun Ghoul's words in his head:

Go get her Poison, she needs you the most...