Death Valley (Desert Children Series #2)

Open Wound

I didn't think Rocket was actually going to show up. I was sitting in my room, watching Ghoul tinker with my gun. The both of us had decided it would be cool to paint it. It would make me look more like a Killjoy and less like a runaway. We giggled and made stupid jokes as he worked. We took sips from a wine bottle.

"So what was wrong earlier?" He asked me.

I hoped he had forgotten. "Nothing. I'm fine."

"Phoenix, don't lie to me." Ghoul put down my gun and turned to me.

"I just..." I didn't know how to explain myself. "I feel guilty. For killing Dracs. But how could I even feel that? They hurt us. But they're people, you know? Humans. We all are."

Ghoul sighed. "I know what you're feeling. There are some things I should have told you but I thought you would think differently of me."

"You can tell me anything, Ghoul. I love you." I took his hands in mine.

"I killed innocent people in the wars. I obeyed the system and this is what happens when you do that. I trusted them. But then I found out that the people we were bombing were only rumored to be traitors." He admitted. "They were people trying to survive, like us."

I wasn't sure what to say to him. What had been said to me was true. Poison was right. I wanted to help Ghoul but I felt like nothing I could say would help. It hurt me to know he was keeping this inside himself. I wanted to take the pain away. But at the same time, he had killed people that maybe didn't deserve to die. I wanted to understand more.

He honestly didn't look like he wanted to talk anymore. His head hung low and he looked down at our hands. He clenched his jaw.

"I will always love you, Ghoul." I said quietly. "If you want to talk about it more, I'm here. Because I love you, I will take you with your baggage and all. You didn't know any better. You trusted this system that was supposed to keep you safe."

He looked up at me as if he was about to speak, but stopped himself. Ghoul looked down again. I saw anger in his eyes and I wasn't sure what to say.

There was a quick knock on the door and it swung open. Rocket stood there grinning.

"I told you I'd be here. I'm not a square. I'm quite triangular." She said. "Did I interrupt anything?"

"Well..." I started. "Ghoul and were kinda having a-"

"Great!" Rocket cut me off, winked and grabbed my arm. "Glad I didn't intrude!"

I looked back at Ghoul who was sitting at his desk still. He had gone back to working on my gun and didn't look at me as I left. I felt as if he was angry at me even though I knew he had no reason to be angry.

Rocket took hold of my arm and dragged me to her guest room. In the room, a bag sat on the bed. She opened the bag. It was filled with different clothes and supplies. She pulled out a disposable razor and handed it to me.

"Get in the shower and shave." She demanded.

"Uhhh..." I wasn't sure what to say. "Why?"

"Don't make me shave your head." Rocket threatened. "You know damn well why. Don't miss a spot."

"What am I shaving?" I asked.

Her eyes went wide. "Everything."

I did as she said, going slow to make sure I didn't accidentally cut my ankles. I hadn't shaved in a long time. I was afraid the blade was going to be too dull to get the other areas. I was kind of embarrassed of my hairy body. Once my body was completely smooth, I stepped out of the shower. I stood awkwardly naked in the bathroom with no towels. Rocket opened the door and I tried to cover up my body with my hands.