Desolation Row

Chapter 1 - Behind A Mask

I sat on the blanket that i sleep on. Will that i should sleep in. Sleep never came. Everytime i close my eyes i see Adam laying on the floor. It's not something i like seeing. If i could well myself to stop. To stop thinking stop seeing it i would. What i would do to forget. I haven't eaten. I haven't gotten up not at all. It's been almost 2 weeks since the funeral.
"Party?" Shotgun says as he walks into the room and sits next to me pulling his gray bandanna down to his neck. He's been dropping by everyday. He knows i'm not ok. He can tell. Then again i haven't left this little sleeping place of mine but Dr. Death let's me. He says nothing not a word. Maybe he knows it's to late for me? Maybe he knew when he saw a dead Action Cat he'd lost a Party Poison. So what did Shotgun Stories see that i didn't? That everyone didn't? I looked up at his sliver dyed hair and ran my hand through my greasy black one. He smiled at me "lets get you a whole new look before our meeting in 4 hours huh?" he asked looking me in the eyes. I had been told nothing of a meeting happening that i apparently had to attend. I raised my eyebrows at him in questioning. Though i knew deep down i knew it was about Action Cat. Something i didn't know was what exactly was there to be talked about Action Cat? What kind of business was there to be discussed about him? Did they wanna know how exactly he died? It was obvious the bleach gave it away. Did they wanna know how we were taking it? Because we weren't. I wasn't. I was dying of grief but how was his mother? The biggest question was who were they? Were they from a different zone? "It's about Action Cat......there was new evidence found" i watched him as he spoke making a face of disbelief as if what came out of his mouth he himself could not believe "they think he didn't kill himself" my wide eyes met his. What do they mean? Were they allowed to assume things like this? Was this for real or a sad joke? I stood up. I need to be there. I wanted to know if someone killed Adam. I wanted to know. I had a purpose now. I had a goal. Adam was my goal. He gave me hope once more that maybe just maybe he hadn't given up and i would make it. I could make it.
"We're dying my hair red and I'm getting boots" i told him but looked at the door. I felt his hand on my shoulder and we walked out together
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This wasn't just going to be new look new me. This was going to be new look because i can't look like shit and let who ever came for the meeting know i had given up because if i find out someone killed Adam i wanna be first on that list that gets to go find that son of a bitch and slice their fucken throat. Because if i wasn't on that list I've failed him. I've failed Adam as a friend but it hasn't happened yet, yet here i am almost freaking out as Shotgun helps me rinse out my now red dyed hair. I smiled at myself in the mirror because in my head i looked good. I looked ready to take on the world again. I looked prepared to do anything at this very moment i was ok with myself. I looked down at my new tight leather boots and ran my fingers through my wet red dyed hair. This was good this felt like Party Posion. I got up amd gave Shotgun Stories as small smile but it was a real one.
"I'm ready" i nodded at him causing him to smile at me because i was back. I was far from where i was. Im better than where i was. He nodded back at me and we walked down the hall with faded black paint to the room where this meeting was being held. I mentally prepared myself as Shotgun opened the door and i walked in after him. Hesitant at first like an alien exploring unknow territory. I scanned the room sitting at the very front of the table was a woman you could tell she was in charge by the way she sat up and proper. She was an old woman her blue eyes faded from the years she's had with them they were probably bright blue in her youth. She was wearing all white from what i could see and her long gray hair was braided and resting across her chest. I had never seen her before. Who could she be. Sitting on her right side was Dr. Death running his fingers through his bread clearly bord i moved my gaze to the Jet Star who was sitting at the far end of the table looking out of place. In a way he was. Why was he here? He really had nothing to do with this. But my attention on him was short lived when i stopped the last person in the room. He had the top of his hair bleach and it was slicked back. He had high cheek bones giving him a bit of a famine look but then again i had the exact same thing so i couldn't say anything. By the way he was sloched over i could tell he was tall but there was something about him I've seen his face somewhere. I sat down by Shotgun still looking at this guy he noticed and offered me a smile kinda. If you could call that a smile. It was not one at all it was like a questioning frown. He was holding a white box in his hand which he placed on the table when i sat down.
"Glad you made the effort to join us Party Poison" Dr. Death said to me. I didn't look at him only nodded i was still looking at this guy how his face lit up when my name was mentioned but never really braking his serious expression. Shotgun nugged me with his knee to pay attention. I pulled myself away from that unknown boy who seemed so familiar to me and turned to Dr. Death and that woman. She stood up when she saw she had my attention.
"Hello Party Poison, Shotgun Stories, and Jet Star i am Dr. Ring and this is Kobra Kid" she pointed at guy with the slicked back hair. Kobra Kid. That's his name "now you all know why i'm here" i nodded and i think everyone else did to "but none of you know why I've brought Kobra with me" Dr. Death looked away. Did he know? He must know something a KillJoy from another zone isn't allowed into the HeadQuarters of another zone just like that. Something was going to happen. The question is what was it? "KillJoys are all about forgetting your past and keeping it away from who you've become now.....it's for protection that's why you're given a new name and all" i nod at her i didn't remember my parents though and the fires where way before my time. I know i was given to my zone at the age of 6 where i met Adam who at the time was still Adam and a year later Oliver was brought in a we three became good friends. But i don't remember my parents or anything about my past life not that i really had one being only a kid. "Party Poison" i looked up at her she sighed before taking again "your mother and father were very respected KillJoys they gave you up to zone 1 because they knew you could make it on your own in the toughest of zones" she stopped again. I didn't quite understand her. "as you may have not known your parents didn't die till a year ago" my eyes widened and i looked at Shotgun who grabbed my shoulder to try and comfort me. I wasn't sad though i was angry. Why didn't they ever visit me? Why'd they just leave me. I was so lonely and they didn't care. They just left me here by myself not even with the knowledge of them being alive. "I wanted to contact you then but it wasn't allowed not untill the death of Action Cat was i allowed...you see they were found in the same state he was" i can't do this. I grabbed Shotgun's hand under the table and gripped it hard. I can't believe this. This can't be possible. None of this makes sense. "Scarecrows are the prime suspects but these crimes are much to planned out for them, they're made to look like suicides." she shakes her head "Mr. Way i'm sorry for bring that up i know you were close to you parents" she says but it's not toward me because i never met them and she's looking at him. She's looking at Kobra Kid
"It's fine I've come to terms with it" he says back leaving me to realize what exactly is happening
"No.....you're full of shit" i get out causing everyone to look at me. They stayed silent though. "They kept you" i say a little louder now i was even more angry. They left me but kept him. I wasn't good enough for them so they got rid of me. I was imperfect i was the defect.
"I didn't know about you till 3 days ago....Gerard if i could have it any other way i would but i can't" Kobra said to me sounding hurt. He sounded so fucken hurt that it hurt me. It wasn't his fault it was there's....it was mine i could have been a better son. I nodded at him and hugged Shotgun because he no matter what was always there for me i considered him my brother and for a while he was my only family since me him and Adam had been left here in zone 1 at a very young age. I guess in a way we should feel proud our parents felt like we could make it on our own in the most dangerous zone since it was so close to Battery City and Korse. With his army of Scarecrows. I let go of Shotgun and looked at Kobra and i got up and extended my hand to him
"Gerard Way.....well Party Poison" he smiled at me for the first time actually smiled and got up and took my hand
"Mikey Way or Kobra Kid...i brought this for you..it's a present from mom i found it, it was addressed to you" he said pushing over the white box. I looked around at everyone they were quiet i knew it was because they didn't know how i'd react to this. I took the box smiling at Kobra. Kobra Kid my brother Mikey. "I'm 17 by the way I've heard you where the older way" i nodded at him as i inspected the box in my hands because i was indeed older and i was curious as to what was in the box. I opened it to find a mask inside. It was a yellow mask with small blue circles above where the cheeks would be and one on my forehead and black diamonds around the eyes it would only cover the upper part of my face from my noise up. I smiled at it i had drawn this mask. I've seen this mask before but i don't remember where. "It was mama's" Mikey said making me think he could read my thoughts.
"Thank you" i said softly making Mikey nodded again.
"So now that we're all ok with each other lets get down to what we're actually here for" Dr. Ring said sounding a bit annoyed really but i shrugged it off. I need to know i'd be allowed to go and find whoever killed Adam..whoever killed my parents. "Jet Star...Kobra Kid you are going to find out exactly what happened you'll be lead by Party Poison now you well go to zone 6 they have more information that i can't tell you here" she whispered 'here' as if whoever we were talking about was suddenly standing in the room with us. Wait what about Shotgun i can't leave him here alone. I need him he keeps me sane. He's my voice of reason notp to mention the fact that every mission I'd ever done was with Action Cat and him ,Shotgun Stories, it would almost feel lile cheating if i didn't take him.
"No..." i said loud enough for everyone to stop talking and look at me.
"Ex-" Dr. Ring was cut off by Shotgun this is the first time he's spoken since walking into the room. I knew for a fact that he already knew why i said no. He knew i wouldn't go without him by my side.
"Party my job was to get you up and going im not allowed to go" he said calmly looking at me and putting him hand on my shoulder. I shock my head stubbornly i wasn't having it. He's going one way or another.
"I won't go unless Shotgun Stories goes...so you make your choice but i'm sticking to mine" i look at her, her blue eyes watch me burning deep into my soul looking for something. Maybe she was checking if i was serious or not? I was. Every single mission I'd ever done Shotgun was there with me. Every scarecrow I'd ever fought Shotgun was there. He was there since the beginning and if i die out there i won't him by my side To the end.
"Ok...." she nodded still looking unsure. I nodded back "Fun Ghoul well met you at zone 6 he'll also be joining you he's heard alot about you and your rep Party..have you heard of his?" she questioned me. I had a rep? What the hell. I knew Korse was looking for me because of the take down of a warehouse i was involved in. I knew my face was on posters making me one of the most wanted KillJoys...but i didn't think i had a rep. I kinda feel cool. So i shock my head at her. She frowned at me "go grab whatever you three need and we'll met outside" she said getting up not really telling me what i wanted to hear. I was curious now about Fun Ghoul. She made him sound like a fan of mine. I mentally laughed i have fans.
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After grabbing my blue Dead Peagsus jacket, a sleeping bag, my toothbrush and my ray gun i walked outside with Shotgun at my side. Jet star was already there standing next to Kobra Kid....my brother. That was going to take some getting use to. They seemed to be having so kind of conversation
"Since you were 7 huh?" Kobra asked Jet Star nodded then they noticed us and walked over. Dr. Death walked up form the side holding up keys to my face.
"For you" i took them giving him a questioning look. "The Trans Am is being passed down to you Poison i hope you make it back a bit sane" he smiled then added "remember from this moment on no names you're killjoys" than walked away. I looked at Shotgun and shrugged and he snacked the keys from me
"I wanna drive" he scream running to the car. I watched as Jet Star followed him slowly and Kobra looked at me. We locked eyes. He knew mom. He knew dad. They left me here so long ago and i thought they were dead. I don't even know there names. I walked up to him and pulled him into a hug that i don't think either of us were expecting even though he did hug back.
"It'll be ok Party" he tried but i shock my head.
"I feel like i missed so much" i whispered to him
"I feel the same but I'm glad that i'm here now so lets make the most of this" he said pulling away and walking to the car. What was making the most of this? Is it pretending my parents never left me here alone or is it being the brother i couldn't be to him now? I guess I'd have to figure that out or i could just hind behind this mask. I smile slipping it on and making my way to the Trans Am.