FicWad

I stare at the book for a full minute before I can move “come on time to go” I say taking the book and shoving into my bag “we’ll look at it when we get there okay” I say seeing her hurt expression, “Okay” she follows with a smile and I roll my eyes at how easily pleased she is. She hops in the passenger seat as I shove my bag in the back and pick up the radio before heading out. “why don’t you see if you can find any news” I say tossing her the radio “sure” she says turning the dial looking for something other then static. “Four of the most wanted criminals were exterminated the other day leaving only one left from the top 5 one Anthrax Angel, last known where abouts Zone 5, this means her bounty is up..” “turn that off” I say, she turns the dial back to static “why don’t they like you, I like you” the Girl says after a few more minutes of silence “they don’t like me because I don’t follow their rules” I say wondering if I should tell her more.

The Girl doesn’t say anything till we get to the Market “can I get a gun” she asks a serious look on her face “why would you need a gun” I ask honestly wondering “so I can protect myself” she says. I kneel down in front of her “there are strict rules about guns and the law is clear, no Killjoy under the age of 12 can carry a gun, sorry sweetie for now I’m gonna have to be enough.” She nods and we head into to get supplies my head spinning from lack of food and sleep, I wander around gathering stuff to keep us for a while, I manage to lose the Girl for a minute and swipe her a cookie and some crayons, I feel bad that it’s the best I can do.

We get back in the Impala and head out to out to our new temporary home, it was a place me and the guys found in the beginning it was way off the main road and if we were lucky it would still have the genni and the Girl could have a hot shower. When we reached the end of the main road we were travelling I climbed out and chained a tarp to the bumper “what’s that for” the Girl asked her head sticking out the window “so the Dracs can’t track us, wipes away the tire tracks” I tell her climbing into the car and pulling off the road and into uncharted territory. The house was the only thing around for miles but was in the middle of a crater meaning it was invisible till you took the nose dive, there was only one safe way into the crater around the back.

“This place is shiny” the Girl says climbing out of the car and running up the steps two at a time, “I guess it is” I say following her. I do a sweep then start up the genni and tell Girl to shower I heat up some instant chicken for the two of us and eat mine as she finishes in the shower. “here take this and if a drac shows up shoot then run to get me got it” I say handing her my black and red pistol, she nods “this never happened” she nods again and I head upstairs and take the quickest shower every mentally preparing my self to go through the book down stairs. I finish quick and hurry down the stairs to see the Girl sitting there staring at the gun. “no Dracs” I ask she shakes her head “maybe next time” I say smiling she smiles back, it seems weird to be joking like this about Dracs but sometimes a good kill can make you feel a lot better. “You want to look at the book?” she asked a hopeful look on her face “go get it” I say gesturing toward the bag I left next to the door.

We settle in on a mattress I found in one of the upstairs bed rooms “okay this is a scrapbook about the Gang and me and you” I say opening the book. The first picture has Poison holding Ghoul in a headlock “you see Ghoul said something very inappropriate and well Poison decided he needed to learn a lesson” I say she giggles. The next page has a picture of Jet bent over a guitar “Jet was one of the best guitars out there in the old world he manage to hold on to that guitar for a long time” “he still has it but one of the strings is broken” she says looking down at the next picture. It was Poison the stupidest look on his face with the girl in his lap “your first mask, bright pink and everything he was so excited” I say. She’s crying I shut the book the sun’s going down we can barely see “we’ll look more tomorrow right now I need sleep” I lay her down wrapping my arms around her as she cries herself to sleep.

I can’t help it once she’s asleep I pull the book open to the next picture me and Kobra on we’re leaning on his bike turned away from each other like we’re angry when really we are the happiest we’ve ever been. The flash goes and we break pose his fingers intertwining with mine “the perfect picture of a dysfunctional family” Jet says handing me the picture “perfect” I say letting Kobra pull me inside the Diner. “What are you going to do with those pictures” Ghoul asks as I sit at the bar “I’m making a scrapbook for when she’s older so she’ll know us if we get dusted” I say pulling out the scrapbook from the other side of the bar. “that’s depressing” Ghoul says sinking to the floor with a sad look on his face, I snap a photo the flash makes him look up “what the Fun Ghoul depressed this moment must be captured for future generations” I saw sticking the picture in the book under me and Kobra. I smile and turn to Kobra he smiles back and my heart melts “it a great idea” he says leaning forward.

I snap upright when I hear the front door creak, I grab my goggles and gun and sneak out of the room and to the top of the stairs, when I see a figure coming up I step out in front of him “what do you want answer quickly if you don’t want to end up Ghosted” I say pointing my gun between his eyes “Don’t shoot it’s me” say the figure I recognize the voice but it can’t be right “your dead, I mean Poison’s dead, who are you” I say not lower my gun a fraction “it’s me Party Poison and I am not dead.”