And again they come.
They hold me and I feel the needles enter my skin. And then comes the pain. The terrible pain as they draw out of me my very life force, all my love, anger, sadness, joy, terror. And Hope. I feel the small bubble of hope inside me drain, more and more as the pain continues. The bubble was once huge, but as they draw more and more, my hope that somewhere humanity has survived wains.
The pain continues, until I cannot bare it any longer. I feel myself slowly fade, back into the blackness I know so well.
Sometimes i love this life! Sure we've fucked up the planet, everything is dust and we fight to survive day to day, but there is something amazingly satisfying about sitting on a motorbike, wind in our hair going god knows how fast down an open track. It feels like the rest of the world is gone, theres just the three of us, screaming into the wind as we race. This, this is being alive.
Of course, you have to come back some time.
The three motorbikes screamed to a stop outside the old motel, sand flying everywhere as they came to a halt. They paused, looking up at the old Motel. It was a small building, half of the second story falling down, bringing the motel sign with it. The old yellow paint was almost gone, the tired bricks showing through the plaster. Most of the windows were boarded, all of the glass blown out years ago. Odd repair jobs here and there were evident all over the building, repairs using all sorts; old wood, trees, car doors, road signs. A figure flew out from behind the rusty door of the motelstraight at the lead biker, screaming her head off.
"How DARE you! Just turning up here after stealing our fuel like that and disappearing for weeks. How dare you come back. Do you expect us to just welcome you in? after you stole from us? I should shoot you where you are…. Well you're not getting anything else, I'll kill you if you so much as step towards us! I'm not joking Red, honest to the all-mighty Im not! I will kill you! Where's my gun?"
"Dee... Dee, DETONATOR LISTEN TO ME!" Red roared over her screaming. The other two bikers, just looked on and laughed as Red Wire tried to explain himself to Detonator.
"Dee listen, I didn't steal anything, Hal lent the fuel to us, it was a loan!"
" And why in hell would Hal lend you litres of fuel?... You were gambling again weren't you. Oh that man is in so much TROUBLE!" Dee screamed, turning to the house. "HALLOWEEN GET OVER HERE NOW!"
"Dee, stop SHOUTING! It was nothing like that. Look we're here to repay you." He motioned to the other bikers, who stepped forward holding out there backpacks and opening the bikes up to show packages of food, medicine and tools.
"Repayment" was all Red said to the shocked woman.
A man slowly exited the motel, and limped painfully up to the bikes. He was an old man, worn from the desert and looking tired with life. He walked slowly, leaning to one side in to reduce the pain in his wounded leg.
"Nice one lads." He said quietly, inspecting the contents of the bikes. "Where'd you get all this from?"
"Oh, no-one that needed it. Recon we did them a favour, keeping them on their toes an' all. Just get fat otherwise, cant be having that, no fun at all!" Red smirked. He looked over at the woman, still standing there, simply staring at the backpacks. "Can we come inside Dee? Don't want any Dracs to notice us."
"Wha- Yes, well, of course. Come along you lot. I suppose you all want dinner…" She disappears back into the Motel. Red turned to his companions in exasperation.
Hal limped over to the bikers. "Better follow or she'll start screaming again!" He said, with laughter in his eyes. "Go on, get inside, I'll get the covers out to hide your bikes".
They picked up the bags and wandered inside.
I can here screaming again. You get that a lot here. I turned over on my small solid bed and tried to block out the noise. I think of outside, imagining all the things I have been told about but have never seen. I wonder what the sun is like. Ive heard its warm. I think it must be beautiful. I think anything thats not in here will be beautiful. I hope i can see it some day. I can feel the bubble of hope expand, and I curl around it, protecting it.
The screaming has stopped.
The motel is dark. There is rubbish everywhere; nothing is thrown away that can be used. Old cans, bits of vehicles, old magazines, wood, everything. There are tattered posters on the walls, poster over poster, covering up the dank walls. The bikers make their way to the nearest free table, and sat down. The old man paused to look at them, and thought back to when he first met them, three young boys overexcited to get back at BL/ind, picking their clothes so carefully- dark biker boots, plain combat trousers and the jackets; one in blue, one in Green and one in Red, graffiti-ing down each other's arms to show their marks. They were so proud of their jackets. Looking at them now, the graffiti almost gone, the jackets ripped, the boots turned pale and worn from the sand. And their eyes, once so full of life and excitement, now worn and tired, tired of the endless running.
He sighs, and Dee looks over aware of what he's thinking. She gives a small smile, hands him a tray of can and they both make their way over to the boys. Red pulls a face at the cans, but grabs a fork and gulps down the processed mush, as the others chat, about what has happened since they were last together. Finally, Dee clears away the tins, and Hal turns to Red, glancing at the backpacks.
Red notices where Hal is looking, and jumps in before he can ask.
"We went far away to get 'em, so it shouldn't cause you trouble. Small Drac outpost in Zone four, the other side of the city. Figured they didn't need it no more." His mouth twisted into a crude smile. "Wasn't just us though. Others had been planning it for a while, we thought we'd just tag along, see what happened…. But what about here? Any news on the big BC job?"
"Nah, Dr D's been silent for a while now." Hal answers. " Reckon they got too close again. Songs still played though, so he's alive at least. He and the Fab's are still planning i bet, wont be long now till they call us all. Tank reckons we raid small in the meantime, keep them on their toes."
"Theres been more and more Dracs out there y'know. Sightings of Exterminators are becoming more regular as well. More and more ghosting's along the roads. Me, Dark and Acid came close to joining them this time. There going all out against us."
"Well we've just gotta fight back harder and faster. Thats what Dr D's been about." Hals voice was low, they could feel the determination, the trust in Dr D, that has kept him sane and hopefull all these years. "Anyway, time for sleep. You know where your room is? I'll see you in the morning." With that Hal struggled to his feet and limped away. He poked his head into the doorway of the kitchen and kissed Dee goodnight, then made his way slowly to the stairs.
"He's getting worse you know." Dark muttered to Red as Hal disappeared up the staircase.
"I know. That bomb did him no favours…. C'mon, lets go." The three of them trundled up the stairs and into their room, down the corridor from the one they saw Hal disappear into. They settled down onto their separate, duvetless beds and fell silent. They slept rough for most of the time on the road, and the worn out, stiff mattresses were a luxury they hadn't had in a long while. Still, none of them could asleep easy. Their minds where not at ease enough for sleep. And soon enough Acid broke the silence with the question on all their minds.
"Any of you's still believe Dr D is still alive?" Acid asked, laying on his bed, chewing on a small oddly shaped bone that came with the grey canned mush.
"Maybe. I don't know. For sake of Hal and Dee I hope he is" replied Red solemnly. He knew that if the man from the radio was dead, if one of the last beacons of hope had gone, that it would crush Hal. Red honestly hoped that Dr Death was alive. But, unlike Hal, his reason for living wasn't resting solely on the pirate radio. His hope was in his bike, the open road, and the next lot of Drac's to be ghosted.
They are moving me, out of the tiny white cell. They lead me down corridor after corridor. I shut my eyes, the stark lights to bright after the single dull bulb of my cell. If i trip they yank me up, if I slow they push me forward. Eventually they push me inside a small metal room, sit me down and secure my arms and legs. I have a collar around my neck that they attach to the wall behind, and a blindfold over my eyes. And then, the needles.
"BOYS! WAKE UP! ITS DR D!" The three bikers sprang up, reaching for their guns as Dee tore into their room with the radio in her hands. Hal came stumbling behind her. Acid dropped backwards onto the mattress again, relieved that this wasn't an attack.
"Get up and listen. He's finally back!" Hal yelled, hope in his eyes. Dee put the radio on a stool and turned the volume up as they crowded round.
"...playing tag with a few Drac's and got a bit distracted. But we're back now, ready to pump out the sounds, and keep you live! This ones for all who missed us!.." Music began blearing out of the radio, a classic song that must have been at least 15 years old by now. Red recognised it from his childhood. A happier time. Before everything.
"What has he said? What'd we miss?" Red asked Hal, as Dee, Dark and Acid did a sort of victory dance behind them.
"He didn't say much. They got too close as I thought. Said they've got plans though, lots of plans!"
" Well thats awes.." The words of sarcasm was cut short as Red was attacked from behind and went head first into the door. Dark had tripped over the loose bedding and crashed into him on the way down. As they untangled themselves Dee and Acid laughed, Hal shaking his head at the lot of them.
"Ya kids done playing?" beckoned Hal as Dr. D's voice returned and the music died to nothing.
"And now to business my Crash Queens. We've had word that some interesting travellers have been spotted moving down the Zones. As it's such a long way and were all such caring folk, dont ya think we should shorten their journey for them. At the very least lets lighten their load! What ya think? They are moving fast and have lots of Pigs around them, must be a heavy load indeed! Last sighting' they were moving into Zone 5, so they should be at the border to 4 by morning tomorrow. I think friends would be good for this one. Good luck Killjoys. And remember, die with your masks on if you've got to!"
Music drowned out the voice as the five of them looked at each other. As one they scrambled up and down the stairs, dressing and arming themselves as they went, ready to plan the heist.
The needles are different this time. All I can feel is them under my skin, but no pull or pain. I sit, confused, as I hear them come and go around me. I can feel the coldness of the walls through my thin clothes, and I shiver slightly.
Then comes the pain. The needles draw faster and stronger than before, the pain far more intense. I writhe backwards into the wall, trying to get away, trying to relieve the agony, in any way i can. There is a rumbling, and the walls begin to shake. I begin to see tiny lights as I slowly lose consciousness.