I don't want to be a killjoy

Crow Boy

The first day of me being there is rough. In order to keep me from running they use a pair of handcuffs on a table leg that's fixed to the floor so I can sit and eat.

"Alright, first order of business. Is there some kind of name we could use for you? Like a killjoy kinda name?" Kobra Kid asks, eating a can of dog food. I look down at my own in disgust.

"Something bothering you crow boy?" Party Poison asks.

"Y/N's fine, and I'm not a S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W.."

"I say we call him scarecrow." The one I've come to find out is called Fun Ghoul. "We thought he was a crow at first, keep it consistent and you know?."

"Let's call him the exterminator!" Party Poison chimes in.

"Guys we're trying to separate him from his bli past. You think people are gonna trust him with that kind of name?" kobra says.

"I'm gonna keep calling him crow boy ." Party Poison says.

"I said Y/N's fine."

"Well you see," Kobra Kid says. "That isn't really what we do out here. First off its flat is not safe. Bli gets your name and they got everything on you." I don't bother to correct him about that. "And second are you trying to get a curse put on you?"

"A curse?"

"Yep! They know your name and they could do whatever they want to you. I'm not gonna let you get cursed, and because you're bli... someones gonna try to curse you if they can."

"Yeah right."

He starts talking about what he calls "zone witches" and curses and I zone out. A headache starts and I try to ignore it. It's just a dull ache so it should go away soon. I try to think of a way to get out of this, but there doesn't seem to be one. They already worked out a plan where one of them already keeps watch while the others sleep and whoevers on watch is gonna keep an eye on me while I try to sleep so I dont escape. They've seemed to cover all their basses, and it's frustrating to know that four lowly killjoys have me trapped like a rat in a cage.

"Hey, crow boy?" Party Poison snaps his fingers in front of my face. "You listening?"

"No."

"At least he's honest.'' Jet Star says. I've noticed he's more quiet, but seems like the one you wouldn't want to mess with.

"Yeah. anyway what i was saying was tomorrow Show Pony's gonna swing by to meet you. You'll like him." Kobra Kid says.

The four keep talking and I ignore them, staring at the can of dog food with a plastic fork sticking out of it in front of me. I carefully take the fork out to look at it, weighing my options.

"It's not that bad you know." Kobra Kid says.

"It looks revolting."

"But it'll also keep you alive. Just don't think about it."

I take a bite and nearly puke. It's more disgusting than it looked.

"It gets easier. Trust me."

I finish off the can with major difficulty because well... one of my hands is kinda handcuffed to a table leg. When I'm done the other three leave to go on patrol and Kobra Kid starts talking to me again.

"So I know you don't like it here. I'm gonna be real with you, it sucks sometimes. But I've lived in the city. I know what it's like. Do you really wanna stay drugged up? Keeping innocent people who could be out living happy lives as drugged up zombies? Killing anyone who steps out of line? That's insane!"

"It's not insane if it works."

"Here's the thing though. If you're killing people... it doesn't work."

"You kill people." I point out. "And I don't tend to do the dirty work. This was supposed to be a brief one time mission."

"Youre still part of the murder machine, I"m just one of the people trying to destroy it."

"Good luck with that." I scoff.

"Thank you." he says, completely ignoring my sarcasm.

He starts talking about life in the zones, which is basically just giving me information to report back when I finally get out of here. He seems to mean well, and genuinely wants to help me and that's his problem. Him helping me would only bring me down. Not only that, but it's a weakness. helping me is only gonna hurt him in the end. He's getting attached, forming a bond that I don't reciprocate. He should've let Party Poison shoot me.

A while later the three killjoys return looking exhausted. Kobra Kid volunteers to be the first watch and the other three seem to be glad to just go to bed.

"Alright so I know it's not gonna be the best way to sleep, but...I'm gonna try to work with you okay?" he unlocks the cuff on the table leg and the second it's unlocked I push him as hard as I can and start running.

"Hey!"

I don't look back, just keep running. I can hear the tell-tale sound of sand crushing under boots behind me and its gaining. I make a sharp turn to throw them off and then keep going. I slip in the sand and try to scramble to my feet.

"Don't move.'' I turn around and look up at the party poison, once again pointing his yellow gun at me. "Now the only reason you're alive right now is because Kobra thinks you should be. Don't make me shoot you anyway." He grabs my arm with the handcuffs and puts the unlocked one on his own wrist. "I'm gonna send Kobra to bed, and you and me? We're gonna have a long talk."

When we get back inside Party Poison tells Kobra Kid to just go to bed like he said he would and then cuffs my wrist back to the table leg.

"I hope this gets through your thick skull. You might've been a big guy back in the city walls but here you're just another person I'm gonna ghost if you make a wrong move."

"So do it."

"What?"

"Do it. Shoot me. Get it over with. We both know i'm never joining you."

"If it wasn't for the kid I would do it, but it's not my decision. And you're lucky."

"If i was lucky you would all be dead and i would be back in battery city reporting that the mission was a success."

"That's not luck, that's just you doing your job crow boy. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna do mine."

He walks out the front door leaving me alone in the room. I try to get comfortable but it's obviously not exactly possible.