The True Lives Of The Fabulous Kill Joys

Chapter 17- Finding A Home

After spending what seems like years searching for somewhere new to live, we park the car at the side of the dusty track.

"Two options." Gee says, pulling on the break. "We go back and ask for help from Doctor D... Or-"

"Option one." Ef interupts.

"Agreed." Ar inputs.

MK gives me a look and I shrug.

"So, back to Dr D? He loves us and trained us up to be the Killjoys we are now, he wont say no." Gee says.

***

"No." Gee was wrong. "You are not staying here." Dr D says.

"Told you so." MK says, lightly punching Gee on his arm.

"But I know a residence down the road that recently cleared out. Their stuff may still be there."

"Were they ghosted?" I whisper to Ef.

"Think so." He replies.

"So, where do we go?" Gee asks.

Dr D points and curls his finger and we follow him.

"There are lots of things that need fixing, but its somewhere to stay." He says, turning around and walking off.

"Dr D?" Gee asks.

"What?" Dr D turns around.

"Thanks." Gee says, walking over and hugging him.

The rest of the guys go and hug him. I stand confused, it looks uncomfortable and weird, a giant smush of humans. I try not to pull a face at the weird ritual happening.

"Lets go guys." Gee says, letting go.

I nod thanks to Dr D before following them outside. We park the car right by the small diner and check inside.

Outside the colours are faded and the door looks boarded up. On the top some of the letters have disappeared, spelling DIE. I raise my eyebrows at this before entering. The first thing I notice is the giant hole in the ceiling. In the main kitchen/living room. I stare at it silently for a while. Theres a hole in the ceiling... The room has a kitchen diner and a little bench by the counter. Down the hall there is a large room where I assume the people slept as there are 2 huge matresses on the floor. I walk back outside and check around the building. Around the back there is a blank wall where I can spray a target or something later. There is also a ladder. Without hesitation I climb it and stand on the roof. There is some pillows on the roof that are now baking in the sun. I walk over to them, stopping suddenly when I notice something on the floor. I sneak closer, soon realising what it is. I let out a scream, loud enough to let the guy know that they need to get here now.

"What is it- are you okay- dont die- where are you?" I hear Ef screech.

"Are you okay up there?" Gee shouts.

I dont move, staring at the lifeless body on the floor, covered in speckled flies. My chest rises and falls extremely fast and my heart pounds. The persons eyes are still open, tongue hanging at an angle. She has bright blue hair in waves that cover her face and a giant hole through her stomach. I feel my fingers and toes curl like Im going to vomit.

I let my legs colapse under me and as I drop a sharp pain springs in my ankle. I shouldve known...

"What is it- what is it- what is it?" Ef is asking, mounting the roof.

I put my head in my hands, shaking my head to remove the images of her decaying body. Theyve stained my eyelids and I can feel my breath speeding up desperately.

"Oh gees." Ef says, shocked.

"So, thats the old resident?" Gee says, walking up to her.

I stare at her body, completely gobsmacked.

"Dracs shot her. Quick death I say." He says, turning to look at Ef and I.

Ef sits down on the roof next to me and Gee plays with the dead body.

"Lets remove the body. Seems like shed attract unwanted animals."

"Did I hear you correctly?" Ar says, ascending the ladder, head peaking over the roof.

"Your job if you want?"

"MK and I will do it."

I hear MK moan from the bottom of the ladder.

"Catch." Gee says, pretending to throw the lifeless corpse.

I close my eyes and put my head in my hands. No. No. No.

"Seriously, take her, she stinks."

I dont look up, curling my body into a ball. If I end up like her...

"Hey, lets load the stuff inside?" Ef whispers, prying my hands away from my face.

I nod slowly, taking his hand to stand. We climb down the ladder and I help bring in the remaining bags, staggering and often shuddering at the thought.

"So, the electricity works." Gee says, surprised, from across the room.

I sit down on the sofa by the kitchen.

"Its nice of them to have left their furniture." Gee says.

"Theyrdead, there is no choice!" I say.

"well... Dont think of it like that, there are so many dead people!"

I sigh.

"Power pup?"

"Please." I reply.

Gee throws me a can and I catch it. He follows on by throwing a spoon, I catch that too. Gee grins at me, taking a seat next to me on the sofa, Ef on the other side of me. I pull a face.

"Power pup is gross." I moan.

"We deal, we deal." Ef says.

I slowly make my way through the can. Chewing slowly and thoughtfully.

"Are you not sad about leaving your old house?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"We knew it would happen so we have moved around often. Slowly migrating to the zones." Gee sighs.

"We would be dead if we stayed. You gotta let it go." Ef says.

"Oh." I sigh. "And- uh- are we going to fix this gaping hole in the ceiling?"

We all stare at the ceiling for a moment.

"Tomorrow is DIY day." Gee says decidedly.

"Can we eat on the roof?" Ef asks.

I look at Gee for a reply and he shrugs. We take our half finished power pup and climb onto the roof. With the body and flies cleaned away we sit on the pillows. The pillows are still warm after baking all day. The sun is setting slowly over the desert. The sky is more orange than the sand. The cacti stand out as a contrasting colour.

"Colour is good." I say quietly.

"You sound like we brainwashed you." Gee laughs.

"I still dont get a lot of this Killjoy stuff. But Im  learning." I smile.

Gee smirks in my direction and I turn to look out at the sunset.

"Its too late for static right?"

"Yeah. Its only around the heat of the day."

The sun disappears under the skin of the earth and I shrug, finishing my can. I yawn a little.

"Im tired. Its been a long day. Goodnight guys." I say.

"Night!" They both sing in chorus.

I take my sleeping bag and sleep on one of the floor mattresses.