The Kids From Yesterday ➸ Danger Days

thirty two • what happened to the soul you used to be?

Party Poison had moved away from the Zones and gone into Battery City, but hadn't been anywhere outside of the Slums until Halloween, when she began to travel into the bigger part of the city. Of course, she never went alone; under the alias of a red porno droid, Party's companion was a blue droid that went by Ashley, but she'd always said that if she made it into the Zones and didn't instantly die, she'd go by Halsey. Party had told her that wasn't really a Killjoy name, but she didn't have the heart to correct her friend a second time.

The two were standing on a corner in the city, near a big intersection but not at it. Party was fanning herself with the white paper one Ashley had given her, leaning against a lamppost and wondering how it came to her getting into this sort of situation. 

Well, Bert had been killed, and by who she didn't know, or frankly even care after three years, one. 

Two, Frank had cut off their relationship (to which she didn't blame him honestly, but sort of hoped otherwise would be the result). 

Three, everyone at home probably hated her for trying to help Frank.

Four, her brother was most likely disappointed in her.

Five, her best friend wanted nothing to do with her.

She could have kept listing more and more if someone hadn't approached and showed her to the wall, sticking a roll of carbons in her pocket and biting on her ear gently. "Show me a good time," he murmured, "and you can keep the change."

Party allowed the man to do as he wished. It was easier that way- just doing what they wanted and not arguing or trying to do something special. If they got mad, it wasn't pretty, and the sooner she accepted that the better. Once she'd finished, she'd slipped back into her clothes and returned into the streets, keeping her head down and ignoring any calls. She just wanted to go home.

But did she even have a home?

Did Party's home disappear when she'd cheated with Bert?

Yeah, probably.

She shook her head absentmindedly as she entered the apartment complex, heading up the stairs and going inside. "Hey, Ashley," she called, setting her things down and taking off her coat.

Popping her head out of one of the rooms, the droid gained a happy smile. "Hey! How was it today?"

Shaking her head, Party sat on the bed and slipped out of her boots and coat. "Not good. Business-wise, it was fine. But I think I'm hitting a low again," she mumbled before falling back on it.

Ashley sat next to her, not having changed out of her black outfit yet. "It'll be okay. We don't have to worry about getting much else for you besides food, so don't stress out. I can pick up some pills tomorrow while I'm out."

Party forced a smile and nodded. "Thanks, Ashley," she said, getting up to open a cupboard and get a quick thing to eat. "How was it for you today?"

"Not bad. You know, it's never really bad, but I'd prefer not to think about most of the things that I do after I've done them," she said simply, "you should know that by now."

"Yeah...sorry."

The two climbed into the shared bed together after another hour that was consumed by anything to ease the boredom. Sleep came easily to Party, as it usually did, but Ashley was staring at the ceiling all night as usual.

Work the next day was plentiful. That wasn't a good thing, but it would suffice. In fact, she'd been heading home when she'd still gotten people coming after her. She could hear the footsteps from behind but hoped they weren't for her. Stopping at a street corner, however, she learned that they were.