The True Lives Of The Fabulous Kill Joys

Chapter 5 - How We Do In The Hood

The bed is warm around me and I think about the colours that are going to surround me when I wake propperly. I roll onto my side, groaning a little. I hear some whispering and I realise who my company are and where I am.

When I open my eyes I freeze, even though I wasnt particularly moving in the first place. All four of them are just standing over me, MK and Ef disgussing about how to wake me up.

"Im up?" I ask like a question and Ef jumps.

"Well, we dont know how to wake a GIRL up..." Ef sighs

"Just like youd wake anyone up?" I say, still shocked.

"You have half an hour, then we leave." Ar says.

"Leave?"

"Yeah, now hurry."

I grab my pile of clothes and run at the bathroom awkwardly.

I take a quick shower and wash off all the sweat and grime from the day before. Wrapping a towel around me I sort out my purple locks. They said I have hair like a black person and nearly killed me, thank goodness I was on the BL learning course... I may have been dead. I love my hair though, why wouldnt you love yourself?

Within the half an hour I was allowed, I managed to get ready and dressed.

"Lets go." I say, bursting out of the bathroom and walking straight at the door, throwing my pajamas onto the bed on the way.

"Oi lets get moving!" Shouts Ef following after me.

I stop at the door, realising I have not got a single idea on where Im going or what is happening. I turn around awkwardly and Gee walks past me, unlocking the door and peering out. I step towards the back of the small croud until someones hand stops me reaching the back.

"No leaving." Ar says. "Youre with us now."

"Where can I go? Im in your basement?" I reply, slightly frustrated.

Ar shrugs, helping me forward.

"Run into the car and we drive on from there, big plans today." Gee shouts back.

He counts down to zero before we sprint at a long car with a spider on the front. I jump in the back and Ef and Ar sit either side of me, Gee and MK in the front, MK riding shotgun.

"So. We are raiding a branch of the BL today. To be honest this is a training course for our Electra Heart here... But this is serious fun and serious business." Gee says.

"Serious." I repeat.

"Yes, Jay, serious." He winks at me in the wing mirror and I pull a face back. "So, borrow a gun for now, stay next to me, dodge and shit... I would say that you know the drill but..."

"Shes a newbie." Ef adds, finishing Gees sentence.

"Yeah, so stick with me, shoot the targets, the guys with the zombie marks... Thats all. Just remember to turn the gun on."

"Cool. Ready for an adventure." I reply.

"Good. Now lets have fun, we are going for a raid!"

MK reaches forward, turing a nob on the car. The riff that I heard just yesterday gets louder and louder from the speakers and as the guys sing, I nod my head along. It seems like there are pretty simple lyrics that I catch up with eventually.

As the hot sun blazes down on us, I prepare for an adventure, singing the song of a Killjoy, wind in my curly knots. I scream, waving my hands in the air. Ef grins at me and copies. Wind snakes through my fingers and I grin, for the first time in a while, without drugs.

The car whizzes down the dust track and everything seems pretty desolate. Soon, the bushes and cacti disappear and a huge building comes into sight.

"Ah, good old S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W unit two, the smaller easier practice home." MK says, mostly to update me.

I study the huge building, about the size of my block. Its relatively tall and black.

"What happened to S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W one?" I ask.

(A/n you better appreciate me writing out the whole of the full scarecrow sign/word)

"S1? It still exists but is massive, we havent raided it successfully yet." Mk says.

"S2 is smaller and easier." Ar says.

"Talking of, here we are." Gee says.

I nod as Gee turns the corner, music becoming silent. Ef stands in the moving car and digs in the boot for something, lifting up a large leather case.

"Here," he says opening it, "chose a gun for now. These ones here are taken."

He points at a load of guns neatly laid out, each a different colour. Just for now I grab the black one. Ef passes out the other guns and they all take their masks out from compartments. I realise where my mask is and quietly grind my teeth together in anticipation. Finally an adventure, living a real life, risks and adventures.

Gee puts the car on breaks and everyone hops out the side. We congregate for a few seconds besides the road and we all put out hands in the centre.

"Stun a zombie each, Paint your sign and leave. Dont leave anyone behind." Gee says.

I feel adrenaline pump through me as I get ready to run inside. Gee stays back with me as Ar, Ef and Mk run inside.

"I dont have a mask?" I stutter.

"I knew you would forget it so I went and got it." He replies quickly, handing me a mask. I put it on quickly, "now, lets go inside."

He sets off running and I follow after him at a steady pace. I breathe with each step as my feet pound on the floor. We reach the door and Gee presses a code and I follow him inside.

"Keep your gun ready. Follow me." He whispers loudly.

I smile as we sprint down the dark halls, guns in hand. The feeling of running and being dangerous makes me excited. I barely notice the zombie turn the corner.

"Shoot!" Gee shouts and I lift my gun.

I close my eyes, vaguely pointing my gun at the zombie man. I press the trigger a lot and hear Gee shout.

"Come on."

I follow him down the hall until we reach a hall. Gee runs up to the wall, pulling out a spray can. I guard as he sprays something colourful. I catch my breath for a moment, still holding my gun.

"Go! Go! Go!" He shouts.

I turn to see a huge logo on the wall, like a double sided pill, before sprinting after Gee. I follow after him down a hall, passing a grinning MK. We turn a corner and he stops stock still. As soon as I see the crowd of zombie men and lift my gun, Gee is already shooting. I close my eyes and hope for the best, pulling at the trigger.

"Run, its too late."

I open my eyes, a few left. I run after Gee, navigating the halls at a fast pace. We turn down some thing halls, until we reach the doors. Panting, I follow him outside and I dive into the car where Ar and Ef are seated. As I struggle to catch my breath, I spot MK run from the building, shooting gun shots. He jumps in the car and Gee speeds off, making dust fly into the sky.

"Jay, good. Although, my first criticism is really important." Gee says.

"What?" I reply.

"Turn the gun on next time..."