FERAL
The dead call for me while I sleep.
First, saw my mother, with her face blurred and warped from my lack of memory of her. She traced her claws down the side of my face as laughter fell from her mouth. Then, Splendid, with her limbs twisted at odd angles and the bottom half of her dress drenched in blood. She screamed in my face how we should have gone back for her, that she died in the arms of her rapist and she will never forgive me for that. Then, Hummer, who lit my body up in flames with a touch of a finger and a smile under burned flesh. I see Botts, Torch, Rattle, And Taz all ripping me apart like a desert dog rips up a bird. Lastly, there is Capable, with her long and soft fingers around my throat, cutting off my airway. I felt as if my eyes are going to pop from their sockets, and I twisted and thrashed under her grip. Capable grinned wickedly at my struggling, the red line of blood running across her throat mocking me with it's brilliant color.
"Coulda saved us!" She sing-songed, her teeth sharpening into deadly fangs, "Coulda saved us, yes, you could've!" she cackled, "Whatcha gonna do when the wasteland comes for you?"
I don't know when I wake, but the first thing I register is the fact that it wasn't really the ghost of Capable strangling me, it was just my lungs acting up again. I rolled onto my stomach and wad up my blanket, burying my face into the fabric to silence my hacking. When I had finished, my body trembles and my head feels like it's made of water.
I glanced over at Nux in the darkness, seeing that he was still fast asleep. I let out a shaky breath and wipe the cold sweat from my forehead, resting my chin on my arms. I think that sleep has lost its welcome for this night.
I notice is the sensation that the Citadel is alive. There are quiet voices, fleeting footsteps. Anxiety rushes through my veins as I imagine more Gastown boys flooding the halls. I jump to a squatting position with the agility of a cat, eye darting around warily. I slowly stand and creep towards the exit, poking my head out before departing. The signs of life grew more frequent and loud with every step I took. It seemed to be coming from the general area of the black thumb's cave, and the elevator entrance. My boots only made little padding sounds as I trudged along, my hand finding a blade in my pocket.
I emerged into the dark cave, my breath coming out in slightly wheezed huffs. I was met with a group of war boys huddled around a car that seems to have just been lifted up in the elevator. I didn' recognize it, which struck me as strange. All that I could see through the small crowd was a human skull strapped to the hood. I let my knife drop to the floor, and I shouldered my way to the center of the war boys.
"What in the name of V8 are you all-" I began angrily, but was cut short, as the shock was too strong to allow me to speak another word.
Capable was standing there, but she didn't look the same. Her hair was cut to her ears, and seemed to curl even more densely while they were so close to her head. She was wearing an emerald shirt with the sleeves ripped off, cargo pants, and she had a gas mask hanging around her neck. None of it made sense to me, so I just stood there with my face slack and my eyes wide.
She smiled at me, "Hello, Feral."
I rushed to her without a second thought, throwing my arms around her neck and pulling her close. It was only minutes ago that I was dreaming of her dead spirit, imagining her blood clotting the sand. Now here she was, standing right in front of me. One life that I can say I didn't take.
"I thought you were dead." I said quietly.
"The new Mayor wanted me to be his breeder." I pulled away from her as she spoke, frowning.
"How did ya get out?" I asked.
She gestured to the car behind her with a warm grin, "I had some help..."
A second wave of surprise nearly knocked me over. The dusty, stern form of Max opened the driver's side door and stood up. He gave me a little smile, dipping his head.
"Bloodbag!" I squeaked, forgetting completely to use his real name, "B-but...How?"
"He was captured too. He tried to stop Gastown during the first attack." Capable stated brightly. "But we also got help from Drayko." She turned towards the car and nodded towards the last person sitting in the back seat.
I furrowed my brows, "Drayko? Who's that?"
A tall, skinny boy slipped out of the car, eyes lowered with shyness. He had skin the color of wet sand, and black hair that stuck up in every direction. Everything about him screamed of neglect, the way he held himself, his clothes, and the bruises splotching his arms.
"A gastown boy?" I hissed at Capable, anger beginning to boil in my chest, "You brought a gastown boy with you?"
She gave me a hard look, "He was being held there against his will, just like Max and I. He was a slave to the Mayor. Without him, we wouldn't be here." she retorted.
I cast Drayko a narrowed-eye glance, but nodded once, "If you trust him, so do I."
"Whats going on?" Furiosa's melodic voice barked.
The crowd split, allowing their leader to approach us. When she saw Capable, Max, and Drayko, she froze. Her eyes flicked to each of them, as if checking to make sure they were real.
"You're back." Was all she said.
Max grunted out a yes, looking pleased to see her alive and well. After all, the last time he saw Furiosa was when she was covered in her own blood and hardly able to stand.
Drayko perked up all of the sudden, his demeanor changing from timid to frightened. He whirled around and peered out through the opening to the elevator. I followed his gaze and spotted a group of headlights flickering in the distance.
"They're coming." Drayko croaked, backing away slowly.
"WEAPONS READY!" Furiosa ordered, whipping out a gun from her holster attached to her belt.
Like a well oiled machine, each war boy and girl scooped up thundersticks and guns, aiming them outside. Some even climbed onto the elevator for a closer shot. Femur tossed a thunderstick to me without a word, the barrel of his shotgun trained in the cars approaching.
We all waited in silence, watching the vehicles as they began to take on shapes. I could see a massive man standing in a convertible car, dreadlocks flying out behind him like snakes. there were three pursuit vehicles, lined up and rigged with machine guns. They slowed to a stop in front of us, killing their engines. We didn't lower our guard.
"Furiosa!" The large man said with mock friendliness.
She stepped forward, nearly teetering at the edge of the platform, "Why are you on my land, Mayor?" She snarled, flesh hand fingering the trigger of her gun.
"Well you see," the Mayor began, "You seem to have stolen my treasure and one of my prized workers. I have come to retrieve them." he explained as if that made all the sense in the world. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Drayko shrink away from the opening in fear.
"People aren't property." Furiosa growled, "If they came here, it was of their own free will."
I could practically see The Mayor's face darken, though the blanket of night concealed his face. "Either you hand them over to me, or we shoot." he roared.
Furiosa lifted her gun and cocked it with a click! "Get off my territory, or we shoot." she countered. A hundred more clicks echoed hers, indicating we would be more than happy to take her up on that offer.
I could see that the Mayor was calculating his next move. Even with a couple of machine guns, he couldn't possibly kill us all. He would be run off the land before he could do any real damage.
"Very well." The Mayor rumbled, "But remember this, Furiosa, I will get them back. One way or another, we will win." he didn't give her a chance to say anything back, because with a wave of his hand, his party was off.
We watch them go with wary eyes. No ambushes leap out of the darkness, so our weapons drop, and the War boys disperse back into the caves.
"Capable?! Bloodbag?!" A familiar voice gasps.
I turn and find Nux stumbling into the Black thumb's cave, eyes puffy from sleep. Not far behind him are Toast, The Dag, baby Angharad, And Cheedo. With a collective scream of relief and happiness, the former wives swarmed their sister.
"We thought they killed you!" "Your hair...It's all gone!" "Did they hurt you?" "Who's the boy?"
She beamed, hugging her sisters tightly, "Does it matter? We are all together again."
The Dag crept towards Drayko with her mouth a hard line, "Who are you?" she asked, ignoring Capable's words.
Drayko, despite the fact he was much taller than her, withered under her gaze, "Mayor's prized worker." He mumbled with shame. "Helped Capable and Max escape."
"Yes! And this is his home now." Capable declared challengingly.
"How do you know he is reliable?" Furiosa demanded, looking him up and down with her brilliant eyes.
Capable stood next to him, placing her hand at his arm, "He has valuable information about Gastown's plans for war." She stated simply.
Furiosa and I blinked with interest, moving closer.
"Tell us. Now." Furiosa said.
Drayko swallowed, adam's apple dipping under his skin. "It isn't just Gastown you're fighting." He began slowly, "They formed an alliance with Bullet Farm."
The news hit me like a ton of rock. I gaped at the dark boy, dread filling my blood like poison. Gastown and Bullet Farm...Against us and the Leatherbacks? Our odds were slim. Other than us, Bullet Farm and Gastown were the most powerful tribes in the wasteland. I forced my dry throat to speak, wanting to seem like it didn't scare the hell out of me.
"What else?"
"They're attacking again in fourteen days."
Furiosa pinched the bridge of her nose, grumbling nonsense. Then she stopped and looked Drayko straight in the eye, her face blank but still held a little smile in her eyes. "Well, welcome to the Citadel, then."
Capable looked up and Drayko with relief, giving his thin arm a squeeze.
"Where will they stay?" Toast asked no one in particular.
A moment of silence where everyone thought. I sighed a little, "They can stay with Nux and me for now." I said with a small nod to Max.
Nux didn't look surprised, just bounced up to Max with a wide grin. "Good to see ya, Bloodbag!" he chirped, ruffling his short hair affectionately.
Max swatted his hand away, "Name's Max." he grunted.
Capable was swept away by her companions, and Furiosa stalked back off towards her quarter. I gestured for Drayko and Max to follow us and began walking.
As we led them back to our room, Max came to walk up beside me. "You both survived." he observed.
I laughed a little, remembering that the last he saw of us was when we were left at the pass after the battle of Fury Road. "Not without a few scars." I pointed to my sightless eye, which was uncovered due to the fact I was sleeping.
Max nodded thoughtfully, though didn't seem surprised, "I knew you would make it."
I turned to him and flashed him a grin, "Takes more than that to get rid of us war boys. We're like damned cockroaches."
I stopped walking, gesturing towards the opening of our quarter with a sweep of my hand, "Home sweet home!"
Drayko and Max shuffled inside, and Nux and I go in after them.
I ball up my blanket and toss it in the pair's direction, "You two can have my blanket to sleep on if ya want. I can share with Nux." I told them sleepily.
Max gave it to Drayko, flashing him a look that says he didn't want it. The stranger spread the fabric over the stone floor, laying down on his back. Max just leaned up against the wall and closed his eyes. I am not sure weather or not he was sleeping or thinking. I settled to the floor, curling up beside Nux, who was already out again and snoring quietly. It all feels like if I go sleep, when I wake, everything will be gone. My heart felt lighter than ever, and my nightmares were forgotten. Then, sleep took me away in a sea of black, silencing my thoughts.