Jenny (Version 2)

Chapter One

Exhausted, Jenny slumped over the counter, she hadn't seen anyone or anything in several weeks. Well saying that a couple of burnt out bodies made an appearance on the scorching sands. That's all though; no snakes, no birds not even a single microscopic bug. Life was lonely out in the zones, but there was a life to be lived.

Scarce keepsakes of a former era dotted the soulless shell: once the heart of a wider community, flocks descended like a pack of voracious vultures, not any more. No one else could, no one else dared, no one tried to survive the poisonous plains. However, there was odd scattered clusters amongst the eternal dark nights. Dotted like glittering diamonds thrown at freewill, each so rare and precious. Collectively single specimens were a marvel of nature; paired they were of incomparable worth. On the tip of everyone tongues there was a small celestial group. Revived from the ashes of a fallen city they rose as magnificent phoenixes. They were the idols of a long lost cause, a long lost generation. They call themselves killjoys. Party Poison, Jet Star, Kobra Kid, Fun Ghoul; everyone knew their names and their aims. They bring hope to those with punctured wheels and no gas in the tank, they are the saviours of the living dead.

'Ding!' The diner's bell chimed signifying the presence of another being. Instantaneously her head snapped up from a slouched position and supported a beaming lip glossed smile. She didn't care who was at the door: draculoids, scarecrows, she'd welcome them with open arms. Anyone would come to the diner hoping for shelter and a scrapped together meal, the crumbling walls had certainly heard some stories.

"My friends and I are wondering if you have any refreshments princess," A red haired figure smiled with a wink. A young rabbit caught in the headlights, this scenario couldn't be real. It's been dreamt up too many times, they were all standing there head to toe in their trademark wear, it was too perfect.
"Sweetheart, did you hear me?" He questioned, trying to cut through the star struck gaze.
"Yes, yes. What would you like?" Jenny relayed as if a conveyor belt, her mind had gone into auto pilot.
"Whatever you've got," He ordered, smashing a handful of notes down on the countertop.
Hurriedly she sped to the freezer, located just down the corridor behind her, first door on the right.

Pushing open the solid steel top to the chested box she hung there in suspended animation. After all those years she'd spent thinking of her childhood best friends they'd forgotten her. Every single day without a fail she'd wonder, 'What are they doing right now', 'I hope they're both out of harms way'. Out in the zones body hunting it was those two she never wanted to see burnt out and twisted, on the way to a new half eaten disguise. Reality caught her by the throat dragging her back into the current realm. Arms overflowing with chilled cans of drink that had laid there for God knows how long she let the door crash down behind her, trying to deliver the drinks without throwing them at their perfect heads. 'STRIKE!' All hit in one go, here's the giant teddy bear. If only, coconut shies were always fixed.

"Here," She managed to force out, dumping a mountain of metal on the table surrounded by greedy vultures. At least the vultures eagily awaited the appearance of your face, taking the trash out for their hearty meals.
"Jenny isn't it," The handsome leader everyone drooled over enquired, snapping open his second can of pop.
A ray of sudden hope shot past her eyes as she inhaled a deep longing breath, "Yes, yes it is. How'd you know?"
"Well the sign," At last one of the others spoke up, "Also everyone knows who you are."
"This is basically the only shelter round here."
"We thought we'd try it out," Another added. They both knew my name, I bet it didn't even cross their minds it could be me.