I struggled against my restraints as the walls around me turned transparent, showing dozens of other teenagers in chairs like mine, with three huge buttons in front. On the right, the pink button, white letters spelling out "FEMALE", and the left was blue, clearly reading "MALE". The middle button was black, and said only "NO". It hurt to look at them, and I was almost grateful when the intercom sounded with the crisp and patient voice of the CEO. "Hello, children. You may be aware that you have been identified as something problematic and inefficient for our city. However, we are kind. We offer choices for those afflicted by this. Press the button on your right, and you will walk out of this facility a woman. The left will release you as a man. The middle button will allow you to stay as you are, but in a place where your defect will not disrupt the order of Battery City. We are certain you understand." The restrains around my wrists disappeared, but I found that I still couldn't stand. I looked into the cell next to mine, and saw a kid about my age freaking out. I called out to get their attention, and they looked my way.
"I knew it was soon, but I had no idea-"I cut them off.
"Hey pal, chill out. There's always the middle button, right?" I grinned comfortingly, but they just shook their head, eyes wide. In the cell ahead of mine, someone pushed a button, and the walls surrounding them turned opaque. On my other side, a person was determinedly pushing themselves against their chair, as if bracing themselves.
"Excuse me! Yeah, you!" They turned their head to look in my direction. "What's going on? What's going to happen to us?" Another cell went black a few rooms away.
"Just stay calm and prepare for an explosion, and be ready to run." They responded. It didn't really answer my questions. They continued, "Party Poison will come for us. They're on their way, they'll be here soon." Now there was something I understood: Party Poison, the leader of the Fabulous Killjoys. But this raised more questions than it answered. How was I involved in something that warranted a Killjoy attack?
Time passed, rooms turning black one by one. It felt like an eternity and then some, and even the person in the cell next to mine looked doubtful. That was when-
BOOM.
Glass shattered around me and sirens blared. Mere metres away stood Party Poison, waving people towards a hole blasted in the wall.
"Everyone out! Keep running!" I got up and bolted for the exit as several Scarecrows moved into the chamber, guns raised. Around me, people fell to the ground with blaster wounds. I wanted to stop and help them but I was all too aware that if I slowed down, if I tripped, if my path had been to the right a little… But I couldn't think about that now. I stuck with the crowd, not wanting to lag behind and get picked off as we moved towards the stairway out of the city. After that, it would be the open road of the Zones.
A vending machine split open, shot by either Party Poison or the Scarecrow. We all scooped up what we could into our arms, wary of stalling. I didn't look at what I had, shoving it all into my pockets, but I held on to one thing – a standard BL/ind laser gun. It wasn't like I had any experience with shooting, but I figured that if I got caught having it in my hand would make me a bit less helpless. Several other killjoys from the Zones joined what had become almost a parade, driving cars and motorcycles. The people who had been imprisoned with me began to leap onto the vehicles, being quickly pulled in. I was, however, already struggling to keep up with the others, let alone a car. It was an effort to lift my legs enough to run, and I could barely breathe. Then I realised that wheels were the only way out of the city – if I tried to hide I'd be found immediately, if I kept going on foot I'd definitely never make it up the stairs. That was, if I made it to the stairs. My thoughts were interrupted by firm hands gripping my shoulder and pulling me off my feet. I thought I was caught, but when I looked around I saw colour and mess. Definitely not a BL/ind vehicle. I struggled for breath as I faced my rescuers.
"Thank you so much," I said, hot tears streaming down my face, "I can't believe- I just-"One of the two strangers (the owner of the hands) cut me off, much to my relief.
"It's alright, you're going to the Zones. It'll be better once we're there, trust me."
"Kobra Kid, we might not make it to the Zones if you don't do your damn job and shoot those 'Crows!" said the driver (who appeared to me to be a mass of thick, curly hair behind a steering wheel) as the car swerved. I clung onto the wall in sheer terror as Kobra Kid stood up and fired at our pursuers.
"Stop being so dramatic, Jet Star. We never die, do we?" the words seemed to have a hidden meaning that was lost on me. Jet Star let out an exasperated sigh in which I could basically hear the eye roll. I flattened myself onto the back seat as I began to piece things together.
"You guys are the Killjoys, right? The originals?" I asked Jet Star.
"Sure thing, newbie. Well, half of it. You saw Poison breaking you out, right?"
"Yeah! They're hard to miss, really." I replied, as we made a sharp turn into a side street. We weren't going for the stairs at all! Soon I could see the desert ahead of us. As we raced out of the city, I was struck by a realisation.
"Hang on, there's a fourth Killjoy, right?" I inquired. A huge explosion erupted behind us, destroying trucks filled with draculoids. Kobra Kid ducked down next to me, resting his feet on the passenger seat.
"That was courtesy of our good pal Fun Ghoul, a true master of making things go bang! Hey, Jet, wait up for the better half!" The vehicle slowed to a halt, and Jet Star and Kobra Kid stepped out. I followed.
"Are we clear?" Asked Jet Star. It was my first chance to get a proper look at our driver's face, which was split by a black eyepatch.
"We're fine, jeez. And here's Party and Ghoul!" The two other Fabulous Killjoys arrived by motorcycle. I wanted to rush to Party Poison and thank them for rescuing me, but I stood back in case it was impolite. They jumped off the back of the bike and collected high fives from the others.
"That was great! I can't believe it! What are we waiting around for, we gotta meet the bleu zonerunners!" They jumped into the car while Kobra Kid swapped in with Fun Ghoul for the motorcycle, before noticing me.
"You didn't tell me we had a new kid, Jet! How does it feel to be out of the city?" I put on a brave face and replied.
"It's, uh, fast." Fun Ghoul laughed as he climbed into the car, and I awkwardly got back in.
"There's a lot more where that came from. Hit the red line, Jet Star!" the car leapt into action, practically flying across the desert scape.
"So what are your plans for out here? What's your plan?" Party Poison twisted around from the front seat. I shrugged.
"I guess I'll become a trader, or join a killjoy group." I mused, "Do you think I'd have what it takes? I've never even fired a gun. Hey where are we going?"
"You don't need to worry about skill yet; we all started nowhere. Right now where to our way to the best fuckin party your battery-fuelled brain's ever experienced. A sort of meet-and-greet for the new cockroaches we bring out today. If you're lucky, you can find a few kids with experience to join up with, keep you from being angel food out here." Poison laughed, "I mean, we could take you in-"Jet Star cut them off.
"No way! Are you forgetting that we barely have enough food to feed ourselves, not to mention our child, or had that slipped your mind?" Jet Star said angrily. Poison huffed, blowing hair out of their eyes. Fun Ghoul leaned over to me.
"Don't mind Jet Star, she just hates fun." But the Killjoys continued to laugh and joke together until we arrived at the party.
By this time, the sun had lit the horizon on fire and the sky was vibrant with orange and pink. Music was playing like I'd never heard it in Battery City as I stepped out of the car. Many of the others who had been imprisoned by BL/ind with me were already here, sticking out in monochromatic clothing while the residents of the ones wore bright colours. I looked around, wondering what to do. It wasn't like I'd been the coolest person in Bat City, but the city was behind me and I was completely free of anything from my past. Thankfully I was spotted by the person who had been in the cell beside mine, the one who had been panicking.
"Wow! Of all the people to make it out of the city, I'm surprised that it's us!" they exclaimed. They were much taller than me, with dark skin and lots of bushy hair in a ponytail.
"Why? I'm no killjoy, not yet, but how could you tell that?" I asked, confused.
"You honestly thought that the black button was a real option. I mean how clueless do you have to be?" I shook my head.
"What does the button do, then?" They looked down at me sympathetically.
"It's a suicide button. If you refuse to choose, they kill you. The black button just makes it quicker and easier." They informed me. I felt like I was suddenly viewing the conversation in third person, and I leaned against the Killjoys' car for support. I felt the stranger's hand on my shoulder.
"Hey," they comforted me, "It's okay. I'm here, you're here, and it'll be fine. We just need some time to adjust." I looked up and greeted their eyes.
"Thank you….?" I trailed off, realising that I had no idea what their name was.
"My name's… uh…. Damn, I guess now that we're out in the Zones we'll have new names. Who decides that? What if we end up with the same name as someone else?" They fretted.
"I'm sure it'll just come to us." I reassured them. "The Killjoys drove me here, we could ask them!" Before they could reply, Party Poison had butted into the conversation, with a young child in tow.
"Do I hear talk of naming?" my new acquaintance nodded. "Then here's some advice: your name out here comes from inside of you, not anything else. In the city you could've been Mary of Jonathan, but in the Zones," they tipped their head towards the now-lilac sky, as if breathing in the colours, "Out here you're just you. Ain't that right, dustbunny?" they looked down at the girl hanging onto their leg, who nodded and smiled. Party Poison appeared to notice us staring.
"I guess you don't know the Girl, do you?" we shook out heads, "We knew her mama before she was born, and I guess we sort of inherited her. I think we're pretty good role models." Said the Killjoy. The Girl looked up at us, clicking her fingers into guns and grinning. In that moment, she seemed exactly like Party Poison. The girl went over to Kobra Kid, who was displaying what appeared to be karate moves to a group of new escapees, while Poison and my new friend wandered over to the edge of the stage, where someone who I'd heard referred to as Mad Gear was performing.
I noticed a girl about my age running around with a camera, exchanging carbons for photos. She was very business-like, unlike the other killjoys at the party, who seemed to be there just to have fun and welcome the new killjoys, and insanely pretty. As she approached me, I tried to look at nothing, fixing my eyes on the horizon.
"Photo for the dead?" She asked. It seemed like a strange question.
"Uh… What?" I was obviously confused. She rolled her eyes.
"I sell photos of the living to send to the dead. Do you want one or not?" What a bitch. I shook my head, since I didn't know anyone who had died escaping the city.
"Fine. But if you change your mind, just come and buy one. You can get one for a friend so that they can send it when you die, you should probably consider that." What a bitch. I blushed.
"Sure thing." As she walked away, it struck me that I hadn't seen the other person who had been next to me, who had been so determined that Party Poison would rescue them. Damn. Up on the stage, Kobra Kid was telling the crowd about how the souls of the dead would move on to the next world, so I sat in the group and listened. Most residents of the zones seemed to believe in an entity called the Phoenix Witch, who would ferry the souls of the dead to another world. It explained the photographs the beautiful stranger had been selling – they could be sent to the next level through the colourful mailboxes scattered across the desert.
I became part of the group, moving to the beat of a new musician, AKA Loretta (Mad Gear was at the edge of the stage, sticking his tongue down Party Poison's throat like there was no tomorrow). I found myself with my tall friend at the edge of a campfire, covered in glitter as we chatted with a killjoy group called the Elevens about something I wouldn't care about in any other situation. Slowly, I fell asleep.