I get the last of my things from my motorcycle and find some room inside the gang's beat up car. I meet and sit between Jet Star and Fun Ghoul, who are actually really nice. There was a good amount of space in the back of the Trans Am and I was smaller than the two guys I was sharing the back seat with, so it worked out nicely.
"So," Fun Ghoul said after a painfully silent couple of minutes. "Tell us a bit about yourself."
"I've been a killjoy for as long as I can remember, and my gang was ghosted last night. Anything else?"
"No, that's a pretty good summary of what I wanted to know."
"Thank god." I say. Then we fall back into an awkward silence. A little while later, Party Poison turns on the radio. Dr. Death Defying's pirate radio broadcast is on the air, but I'm not paying much attention. Something he says a few minutes later catches my attention.
"Last night, an entire group of killjoys were caught in a clap with some Dracs and an Exterminator. Show Pony found three of their bodies and one survivor, but the other three remain missing. We've identified two of the bodies, Iron Exterminator and Sonic Blade. The survivor, Electric Rain, has explained to us who the missing ones are. She wants me to send a message to all of her gang, and I quote this; "If you're alive, don't come looking for me. I'm fine on my own and seeing some of you without the others will kill me." End quote. The unidentified body was found half buried in the sand. The missing killjoys are Solar Machine, Killer Cellophane, and Adrenaline Danger. Well, to the killjoys of the gang that have passed, your shadow lives on and we salute you. Here's the traffic." Party Poison turns off the radio. When Dr. Death Defying mentioned my name, the entire car looked at me.
"Well, turns out it wasn't your entire gang that was dusted," Party Poison says. "That's good, right?" I nod. "I know who the unidentified body is. She was our unofficial leader." I reply quietly.
"I'm sorry," Jet Star says. I can tell it's sincere, and I nod. It's like that here in the desert, you can't get too attached to the people you love. Someday they'll be dust, and there's nothing you can do about it.
Just before sunset, Party Poison pulled into a clearing.
"Danger, Ghoul, I want you to go find some some kindling and firewood. I'll stay with Jet Star and set up camp. Kobra, there's a gas station down the road a bit. Grab some food for us. Got it?"
"Yeah," Fun Ghoul says. "Danger, this way." He nods toward an area of the clearing that has a few dead trees and starts walking, so I follow him. He picks up a stick about the length of my forearm and the width of my foot.
"You're looking for some twigs and sticks about this size."
"Okay, will do." I find six or seven sticks the size that he told me, and just as I'm reaching for another stick, he starts asking me some more questions.
"So, uh, Danger?"
"Hm?"
"How long were you with your last gang?"
"About twelve years. Sonic Blade, the oldest of the group, he found me living in an abandoned gas station when I was seven or eight. I'd been living there since my parents died."
"Your parents are dead?"
"Well, I saw my mom die. I tried to save her actually."
"And your dad?"
"Have no idea where he is or if he's dead."
"Ah." We fall back into awkward silence. After a few minutes, I have two arms full of sticks and the sun is starting to dip under the distant mountains. Ghoul looks at my pile.
"That should be enough for the night." We walk back to our 'camp', and there are already five sleeping bags set up around a large pit. Party Poison and Jet Star were leaning against the Trans Am.
"Sticks in the pit," Party Poison says. "Danger, you know how to start a fire?" I drop my sticks into the pit, and Ghoul does the same.
"Kinda. Not my best skill, though."
"Wanna try to start it tonight? I'll letcha get first dibs on food if you can get a fire going before the sun sets or Kid gets back."
"I'm not one to turn down a challenge." I walk over to the car and pull my backpack out.
"Whatcha doin'?" Party Poison asks in a sing-song voice. I smile a little. I kinda like this gang. I dig through my bag a little before pulling out a small can of lighter fluid and a lighter, then hold them up.
"I've got this, bitches." I turn and walk toward the pit, hearing Party Poison laugh. I add a little fluid to the pile of wood and light it on fire, then turn around.
"Look who's got first dibs on dinner." I grin and everyone laughs.
"Ah, shut up." I put the supplies back in my bag and hear footsteps behind me.
"Dude," I turn around to see Kobra Kid, holding up a twelve pack of beers. "Score." Jet Star perks up.
"Beer's great, but any food?" Kobra holds up two plastic bags.
"Hell yes."
"What're you waiting for, man? I haven't had alcohol in ages." Party Poison says and laughs. Kobra Kid hands a beer to everyone, but pauses at me.
"Have you had alcohol before, kid?"
"You kidding me? Every killjoy has had alcohol at least once." He laughs and hands me the bottle.
"Just don't get drunk on us."
"Got it." I say and open the beer. I can tell that I'm gonna like being with these guys.