Foolish Heart //Danger Days//

2. Keep Running, City Girl

  "Counting the cars
On the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all come
To look for America,
All come to look for America,
All come to look for America."

::America- Simon and Garfunkel::

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"How much longer until we get out of the city?" Dylan pulled on my arm.

"We've been walking for fifteen minutes." I told my little brother, who dragged his feet beside me.

"It'll be another half hour at least until we get out to Zone 1."

Dylan groaned.

We continued walking through the silent streets, until we reached the city boarder. This was it. I hadn't stepped foot outside of the city in years.

"You ready?" I squeezed Dylan's hand.

"Yeah!" He jumped.

We stepped out into the desert. I had no idea where we were going, but I marched on blindly.

---

The desert was a mystery to me. I hadn't been out the sand in four years. There was no sign of life anywhere, and it scared me. Occasionally, a lone tumbleweed or a dead bush would appear in the corner of my eye. Either than that, it was just dust and rock. My bare skin immediately began to tingle from the radiation and the heat.

"When are we gonna be there?" Dylan groaned. After an hour of walking, I was forced to carry the eight year old on my back. I was hot and sweaty, and we were in Zone 2.

"Good question." I retorted, feeling cranky. I heard the distant rumble of a motorbike. Somebody with a pink bandanna around their face and the most atrocious outfit I had ever seen pulled up next to us on a dusty purple motorbike.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"You from Battery City?" A girl's voice responded.

"Yeah, why?" I took Dylan off of my back.

"Why the hell are you out here?" She tilted her head.

"We're looking for the Killjoys!" Dylan blurted. I elbowed his arm, glaring at him.

The girl just laughed.

"Honey, I'm a Killjoy, and I'm almost certain you aren't looking for me."

Dylan's eyes widened.

"Y-you're a Killjoy?"

"Yeah, I'm Sugar Bomb, but you can just call me Sugar."

Sugar took off her mask, revealing a girl who looked about my age. She had a dark orange pixie cut, and a very narrow face which was smeared with dirt and small cuts. She was rather pretty, but she would stick out like a sore thumb back in the city. Her outfit was covered with bold shades of pink and purple. She wore tiny pink shorts with a purple and black crop-top. Her elaborate look was finished with a hot pink and grey leather jacket.

There I stood with my long blonde hair in a tight bun, and a grey tank-top to match my darker grey tights.

"Are you ready to tell me why you're out here? It's not safe for someone like you."

I brought my attention back to the Killjoy on the bike.

"A bunch of Scarecrows attacked our apartment. They took my parents. We ran away."