Chapter 4: Planetary (GO!)

[BLACK TRANSMISSION]

I woke up with a shock, and lied in bed for a while until I suddenly sat upright, remembering what I'd dreamt. Or well, dreamt… I was sure it'd been real, not just a dream. I had seen the four fabulous Killjoys! So they were captured, and I was the only one who could save them. Did that make them such fabulous Killjoys? Still, I had to save them.
I checked my watch, and saw it was only four o'clock in the morning. That meant everyone was fast asleep – and it meant I could run away. If I wanted to help the Killjoys, I would definitely have to run away.

I kept lying in my bed though, until I said to myself: 'I have to get up and go! I'll never go home!' I got outta my bed, dressed myself and went outside.

It was dark and cold as hell. I made my way to the building where they stored all our food and sneaked in. Guiltily I put some of the food in the rucksack I'd taken with me. It felt bad, but I needed food, didn't I?
When I'd taken enough food, I went back outside. Quietly I started walking away from the camp, not looking back. Suddenly I heard someone shouting behind me. I turned around, and saw Heartache Aftermath, standing there. 'Oi! Who's there?'

'I'm gonna go on a secret mission for the fabulous Killjoys!' I shouted back. 'Good riddance!'

I started running, not listening to Heartache Aftermath's shouts. 'Fucking annoying kid,' I muttered to myself.

After ten minutes, I stopped running. I wasn't tired, but the zone was outta sight and I needed to safe my energy. I still had a long way to go.

The zones were in the desert, so I was in the middle of the desert and for any normal person it would be impossible to navigate their way to the city. But I wasn't no normal person. I was a Killjoy and we were trained to know the desert. I knew where I had to go, and I also knew where there was water, so I could drink, and bushes so I could hide. By dawn, I had found a place with bushes where I could rest for a moment. It wasn't the walking that had made me tired, but waking up so early. I wasn't used to it, usually I slept until eight o'clock. So when I lied down on the ground, I felt relieved.

I thought about my parents. I'd never felt very close to them, but now I did miss them. Oh well. I was on a mission, an important mission. 'I ain't gonna go back,' I said to myself. 'I fucking won't go home!'

I zipped open my rucksack, and ate some bread. Then I lied down once again.

I was disturbed by the sound of footsteps. Quickly I got up, and saw two Draculoids coming towards me. I got my laser gun from my pocket and shot one of them. The other one took out his laser gun and shot at me. He missed me by an inch. I shot at him, but missed too. I ducked quickly as he shot again, and shot at him from that ducking position. The shot hit him in the stomach, and he fell to the ground.

As I looked at the Draculoids lying on the ground, I realized I had to get moving. I couldn't stop, because there were enemies everywhere. So I got my stuff together and started walking.

The rest of the day I continued walking, not stopping, so when darkness came I was tired as hell. As soon as I found a safe enough place, I stopped and after having some food I fell asleep at once. I knew that if I was found by Draculoids I would be dead, but I took that risk. It was the risk of being a Killjoy.

The next morning I woke up at seven o'clock, and immediately started walking again. I knew I was somewhere near a stream, and because I was running outta water I headed in that direction. I got there in an hour, and filled some bottles with water. My rucksack became a lot heavier, but at least I had something to drink.

Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind me. I screamed, but a white hand covered my mouth. It had to be a Draculoid! I pulled my arm loose and took my laser gun outta my pocket. Then I turned around and pointed it at the Draculoid. 'You shouldn'ta done that,' I told him. 'Cause I ain't gonna spare you now.' And I shot him.

I realize now you might think me heartless, shooting people like that, without thinking. But I ain't heartless, 'cause the thing is, theyare. They ain't no people, they've got no soul. They're just sorta robotic things, I dunno. Korse invented them. I wouldn't shoot people so easily, I don't think I'd have the nerve to do that. Anyway, I ain't no murderer, like Korse. He'd shoot people as easily as I shoot Draculoids.

Two more Draculoids came running towards me, shooting at me with their laser guns. I shot one of them. The other pointed his laser gun at me, but didn't shoot. 'Yer just a kid,' he said.

'What?' I said. 'Yer gonna spare me 'cause I ain't an adult? I ain't sparing you, y'know.' That was probably a dangerous thing to say, and I was sure he was gonna shoot me, but he didn't. 'I thought Killjoy kids weren't allowed outta the zones.'

'Smart guy, huh?' I said. 'Who told you that?'

'Korse did. So whataya doin' here?'

'I don't see why you care,' I said.

'Running away, huh?' the Draculoid said. 'You know, you could come with me. Korse can give you a life. He understands you don't wanna live in the zones.'

'Oh, but you made a mistake there, roboguy,' I said. 'I ain't running away. I'm running towards something. And that something is yer precious Korse.' And I shot him.

I looked around, but it didn't look like there were any other Draculoids. However, a few meters away I saw someone lying on the ground… And it wasn't one of the men I'd shot.