Danger Days: The True Life of a Real Rebel

“Somebody say something.” Dr. Death Defying mumbled, unable to find the right words for the first time in his life. He wiped his eyes roughly, knowing it was perfectly acceptable to cry, but hating himself for it anyway. The girl had pulled through everything else, why did this have to come now, when the war was over and the future was bright? When she could have lived in the world she wanted to know so much about, the world she fought for?
“Like what? We don’t do that poetic crap anymore.” Ray muttered back, not looking at anyone else.
“Smile was nice. Like my sister.” Boom Box chimed in, letting the tears fall openly down her face. “She was really fun, and really tough, and I want to be like her when I’m bigger.”
“If you think about it, she only lived for seven years. She was on those pills for more than half of her life, and when she woke up, she went to war.” Mikey said sadly. “She was just a kid, she shouldn’t have been part of this, but we let her do it anyway.”
“She’s a Killjoy. She’s family. She’s one of us, and… we didn’t always treat her like it.” Frankie mumbled, his usual, happy, high long gone. “She pulled through everything and saw us through to the end. If you think about it, it was her idea, her mission. She’s the one who stopped Better Living, not us.”
“She was more than just some outlaw Killjoy who refused the pills from the get-go.” Gerard said, swallowing his own tears as best as he could. “She was a tough-as-nails, honest-to-god rebel, the only real one in this world. She got herself out and decided to fight, and nobody was gonna stop her. Nobody fucking could. She knew that she probably wouldn’t make it out, and she was okay with that, probably more okay than we were with the idea of getting ghosted out here.”
Boom Box was sobbing silently now, not bothering to wipe the tears off of her face. She was clutching a small stuffed bear, ragged and worn over the years. The boys had found it when they cleaned out Faye’s room. She’d left a note on her bag, neatly folded in a white envelope that stood out against the dark, worn leather.
To the Fabulous Killjoys,
If you’re reading this, I didn’t make it out of Battery City. Honestly, I knew something like that would happen. I actually expected it sooner. I wasn’t afraid to die, I just hope it was worth it- I just hope I helped.
I just wanted to say thank you, thank you for everything. You let me crash here, gave me food, even before you knew I was going to stick around and even after you knew what I was raised to be. You all acted like my family, and I can’t thank you enough.
I don’t know if you saw me the same way, but you were my family, my real family. Boom Box, you’re like my little sister, so I want you to open up this bag and take what’s inside. I snuck my teddy bear out of Battery City when I left. We were supposed to incinerate them when we were 11, and too old for them- it was only tradition that we had them in the first place- but I got attached. I hid him on incineration day. He was there when I was scared or sad or lonely, and I want him to be there for you. His hugs can make you smile.
Guys, I can’t ever thank you enough for what you did for me. You really were my family. Especially you, Gerard. You were like a dad to me.
Remember, ages ago, how I asked about love and hate? You told me I had to figure them out on my own. I’m pretty sure I’ve got them down.
I love you guys, all of you.
XOXO
-Faye
PS- Frankie, don’t keep beating yourself up over what happened that one day. I am not and never was mad at you.
Now Boom Box clutched the unnamed bear, crying into his soft, worn fur as the other Killjoys cried, too. None of them could stand to look at each other, but they all stared at the stone resting on the scarlet fallout dust, the inscription carved by a laser beam, the same as any other Killjoy’s gravestone.