California 2019

Zone 3

Poison had been on her bike for hours. Her ass was starting to get sore, and she was relieved when the Trans Am ahead pulled over. She saw Static jump out of the driver's seat and run to a small cave in the bottom of a small hill.

"What the hell are you doing?" She called after the sprinting girl

"I NEED TO PISS!" Static didn't even turn around. She disappeared into the dark cave. Poison smiled, and heard Val laughing in the Trans Am. She walked over to check on her.

"How's the car ride going? You doing all right, Val?" She asked. Val wiped the tears of laughter from her eyes and looked at Poison.

"Yeah. She's been wriggling in that seat for an hour, waiting to find a cave or something. It's from the coffee, I told her." Poison nodded. She shifted uncomfortably. Val's eyebrows rose. "You need to piss too, don't you?" She started laughing, and Poison turned around.

"Shut up. You're so annoying. Everyone needs to piss eventually."

"Yeah. But I don't. So there!" Val stuck out her tongue. "Besides, how much longer till we get there?" Poison looked at her watch. It was 11:58 am.

"Well, we're on the border of Zone 3, so we should be able to make it. Now, don't mind me, but I gotta go." Poison spun on her heel and took off for the cave that Static was just exiting.

Static laughed as Poison ran into the cave. "Watch out – I pissed in there!"

"No shit, Sherlock!" Poison yelled back

Static left the cool overhang of the cave and stepped into the dry heat. She lifted her arms above her head and stretched, and then made her way back to the car.

"Have a nice break?" Val called sarcastically from the passenger seat.

"Yes. I did." Static smiled sweetly. "Are you gonna take a break, or what?"

Val shook her head. "Nope. I was just trying to figure out this Transmission thing. I can't get that radio station Pony boy was talking about." She shook the small device.

"You can't find it 'cause he hasn't started it yet, dumbass." Static reached in through the window and ruffled Valentine's hair. Val cussed and shook her off.

"I knew that." Val said stubbornly

Static laughed again "Of course you did. Y'know, because you are so smart!" She walked around to the driver's side and climbed in. Poison came out of the cave.

Static turned to Val. "Wanna scare the shit out of Poison?" she smiled mischievously. Val looked uncertain.

"Whatever. You aren't gonna listen to me anyway." She said. Static smiled, and started the car's engine. She switched it into gear and started driving. She looked in the rear view mirrors to see Poison staring blankly at her in the distance.

Poison was sure that they hadn't forgotten her. Static had a weird sense of humour. Poison knew they were joking and that they'd come back. Soon. A few seconds went by. They never turned around. Poison made her way slowly to her bike. They would turn around soon. Or not. She jogged, and then burst into a sprint, pumping her short legs. She jumped on the bike and took off. They must have forgotten her. Despite her situation, she smiled. Val and Static always forgot her places. I t reminded her of how they had bonded over music, and how they all agreed that she would never catch up to the amount of times the My Chemical Romance guitarist, Ray Toro, had been left behind by his band. She sped the bike up.

Val smiled at Static.

"Did you see her face?" She said, laughing.

"Yup! Oh my God, that was hilarious!" Static threw her arms out the window, steering with her legs. Val's face went pale.

"TWO HANDS ON THE WHEEL! PLEASE PLEASE DON'T GET US KILLED!" She screamed. Static laughed and put her hands on the wheel. She turned onto the side of the road to let her older sister catch up. She wasn't too far behind now.

Poison pulled up alongside Static's window.

"Hey, thanks a lot you guys." She frowned

"Oh, we completely forgot you! I am so sorry!" She said in a sarcastically sweet voice. Poison smacked her arm.

"Whatever, you little fuck. And welcome to Zone 3, by the way." She said. Val and Static looked around.

"Oh, I didn't realize that the scenery had changed and that we were in another Zone – but now that I look, it is so different!" Val said sarcastically. Her sisters smiled.

"Anyway, we should just keep driving until we hit Zone 2. Then we can tell how long we have until we need to be in the city." Poison turned to walk to her bike.

"Watch out for Dracs – I hear BL/ind posts a lot in the Zones near Battery City." Val said.

"Thanks, Val. See you on the road." Poison climbed on her red and purple bike and Static started the Trans Am again.

"LET'S KILL TONIGHT!" Static yelled, and the car jolted forward. Val frowned.

"Only if we need to." She looked out the window.

"Obviously." Static smiled. This would be a fun ride. Val looked at her watch. 12:13 pm. Only another few hours until Zone 2. She leaned back and closed her eyes, trying not to think about how fast they were really going.