Part 17: Alabama

A few days later, after seemingly exhausting all chores to do surprisingly and having no raid details from the Big 4, (which I quickly learned were the leaders of the Killjoys I’d seen plastered throughout the Zones) we were sitting motionless in the heat of the diner, listening to the fuzzy sound of the radio. Arizona was playing with Babydoll on the floor, while I sat in a booth, braiding Mighty Mouse’s hair, keeping the dampness inside to keep her cool.

“Alright, Killjoys, that was Black Dragon Fighting Society from The Madgear and the Missile Kid, a happy song leading us into our darkest part of the day. Show Pony’s just brought me a list of the confirmed ghosted in the Zones for the past week, those Killjoy brethren who died with their masks on and went down shooting, courtesy of our Big 4, Party Poison, Fun Ghoul, Jet Star and Kobra Kid.” Arizona looked up from where he was playing with Babydoll. Everyone came from where they were in the building and gathered around the radio as Plasma turned up the volume.

“There’s 9 Killjoys down for the count this time around.” The deep drone of Dr. D. paused before he cleared his throat and spoke again. “Sterling Weed, Cocaine Explosion, Ant Legs, Cyanide Queen, Slashing Crow, Gemini Ghosted and Bird Song. Unfortunately it appears that all the previous listed names were a part of one family, the Kung Fu Krew. All dusted. My humble apologies for those who knew them.” Plasma slammed his hand down on the radio, shutting it off with a sickening smack. The diner grew silent as the shock overtook us. No. We’d seen them only a week ago. It wasn’t possible. Bird had hit on me the day he left.

“It can’t be.” Wasp said as tears fell from her eyes. We all, however, couldn’t help to look over at Solar Crash, who was sitting at a table near the door. She was staring at one spot in front of her, a look of fear, terror and utter misery clear on her face.

“No.” She whispered, rocking back and forth. “No. No! NO!” She stood quickly before collapsing to the ground, tears running down her face as she sobbed loudly. Arizona set aside Babydoll quickly as he ran forward, picking her up by her biceps and trying to hug her to his chest, trying to quiet her hysterical shrieks. She fought him off violently, though, squirming out of his grasp, all the while screaming and sobbing. She ran out of the bar towards the bathroom. Arizona started to follow when I stopped him.

“Let me do it.” Arizona started to object, but I gave him a look to let him know I was serious before turning and following Solar into the bathroom.

I pushed open the heavy door and followed the now-quieter sobs coming from the largest stall at the end of the row. I walked into the stall to see Solar curled into a ball, her back to the corner, leaning on the walls for support. Her cheeks and eyes had already started to redden as she glared at me angrily. I kneeled onto the tile in front of her.

“What do you want?” She sneered at me through her tears. I didn’t respond, merely leaned forward and absorbed her into my arms in a hug. She resisted at first, but I hung on, and eventually she relaxed, then clinging to me, sobbing into my shirt.

“It’s okay, honey, it’s okay.” I hugged her tightly, rocking her back and forth. We stayed like that for a few minutes before her sobs had turned to sniffles and her tears slowed. She sat back and regarded me, her haughty pride gone and her eyes red and puffy. She looked absolutely miserable in a way I wasn’t sure I truly wanted to see.

“Y’know, a week ago, the day before he’d left, I’d called him an asshole and shoved him.” She shook her head, sniffling. “I never thought... I’d never thought something like this could ever happen to him, or to any of them. He always seemed indestructible, y’know?”

“I know.” I rubbed her arm gently.

“And now he’s dusted out somewhere, probably not even really buried, just all of them dumped together in a Drac grave in who-knows-where.” She shook her hair out of her face. “I need to find him. I need to bury him, I can at least bury him. I can’t do this alone, dammit! Why couldn’t I have been with you?!” She stood up and hurled one fist into the stall door, leaving a fist-sized dent in the metal. I stood up and ran into the wall behind me as she went into a blind rage. Once she was done beating the stall, I took her by the shoulders and sat her down, the sobbing starting again. I took her hand and held it as she continued to cry, the sobs wracking her small body. Once she had quieted some, I began to speak myself.

“When I was about 12, my gang mom, Mother Mayeye, got dusted out along with her younger sister, Atomic Antimatter. I was with them, on a scavenging trip. G.I., the guy we buried last week, was staying back with Disco, the twins and Mighty Mouse. They all ate something bad the night before, so everybody was hurling. Anyway, the rest of us went out to find food and were jumped by a bunch of goons from BLI. Mayeye and Anti shoved me in an old building, even though I was the best shot they had, and went out to try and protect me, even though it was a losing battle. Once the smoke cleared, I saw them ghosted and ran out to help them, regardless of there not being a thing I could do. The Dracs caught me, held me up against a building and gave me this." I moved my hair to expose the small, three-letter scar carved into my neck with a pocketknife one of the Dracs had had, reading “BLI.” It sat just behind my left ear and had healed well, not being noticeable unless you knew it was there, even when I wore my hair up. Solar shakily reached up to touch it, seeming to wonder if it would rub off.

“It’s right near an artery.” She furrowed her eyebrows. “How did you not die?”

“I’m not sure myself, no one is.” I blinked, turning to face her. “I passed out from the pain, considering they also gave me a beating and left me for dead. I woke up a few hours later, beat up but alive, with a bandage on my neck, a week’s worth of supplies and a canteen of water next to me. I never knew who saved my life, so I really had no one to thank, y’know? They hadn’t cleared away Anti and Mayeye’s bodies yet, so I went over to them, stripping them of what I could use, planting a kiss on their foreheads and wandering back to our camp.”

“You didn’t bury them?” Solar asked, horrified.

“With what? I had no tools, plus I was by myself, injured to boot. I was lucky I wasn’t ghosted already, or attacked by another gang.” I bit my lip. “I was lucky they hadn’t shot me too. Then I’d have really been done for.” Solar nodded softly, looking away.

“I was destroyed. I wouldn’t eat, I’d just lie on my mattress and sob. Eventually, G.I. just sat down next to me and said, ‘Alabama, if Mayeye saw you like this, she’d whoop you like you’d never forget.’ And then I started to smile, and then I started to laugh, just because it was so true. They were gone, yes, but I would be all right. I knew it, and so did G.I.

“The point is, people, even the ones you love, come and go, and there’s absolutely nothing we can do about it, besides enjoy them while they’re here and remember them while they’re gone.” I smiled sadly at Solar. “He knows you loved him. You didn’t have to say it. and who knows? Depending on what you believe in,” I stretched my legs out. “maybe you’ll see him again.” She snickered bemusedly at that. “At least for the time being, you have the rest of us.”

“You mean Wasp’s clan?” She snorted. “They don’t want me around, are you kidding? I-I know Arizona...” She bit her lip. “They saw me with Bird and hated it, because it tore Ari to shreds. I didn’t like it, but I love-” She paused, the tears reappearing. “-loved Bird. I wasn’t going to give him up to make everyone else happy, and plus, me and Ari?” She snorted. “I don’t even know why you’re in here anyway. What do you plan to gain from this?” She looked at me intently.

“You’re kidding, right?” I looked at her, outraged. “They’re your family! They all love you, and you’re insane not to see it. Sure, they didn’t approve of Bird, but he was a royal jackass half the time! No offense.” I added at Solar’s disapproving glare. “Seriously, they’d be heartbroken if you left. You may be stubborn, bitchy and have the temper the size of a flea, but you’re family.” I stood, helping her up as well. “Come on, they’re probably worried you’ve killed me by now.”

“Oh come on, I’m not-” Solar stopped herself, considering something. “Okay, let’s go.” I laughed out loud, heading for the door.

“Hey, Alabama?” She said from behind me as my hand was on the door handle.

“Yeah?” I responded, turning around.

“Thanks.” She said softly. “For... that.”

“Anytime.” I nodded, turning back around and heading into the diner, smiling to myself. I think I’d just made a friend.