DEMOLITION LOVERS

You've Got to Be What Tomorrow Needs

'Can you tell me a story, dad?'

Frank waited every night for his dad to come back from another show, so he could tuck him in and tell him stories. It was his favorite part of the day. Sometimes, his dad would tell him monster stories, sometimes he'd read him a book, other times he'd tell him about something funny he saw that day. 'What do you want, Frankie?' his dad asked, his voice tired, and struggling to keep his eyes open, but always with a smile.

'Superheroes!' Frank yelled enthusiastically.

'Then, superheroes it is.' Frank Sr. sat next to his son on the bed, an arm around his shoulder, and started, making it up on the go. 'Once upon a time, in a city far far away, where crime ruled and villains walked around among the rest, a young boy wanted to changed that.' Frank listened attentively as his dad told him about how the young superhero saved the city from thieves and assassins, about the day he saved kids in a burning building, and how he got Mrs. Brown's cat from a tree.

But it wasn't long before Frank started to doze off. 'Dad –' he mumbled in his father's arms. 'I wanna be a superhero.'

'You're gonna change the world, Frankie.'

***

Music blasted loud and the radioactive sun rays burned their skin as they drove the Zone 5 desert. Fun Ghoul looked out the window, cursing the heat under his breath, wishing for some air-conditioning, and a bottle of cold water.

'Are we there yet?' Kobra Kid complained from the backseat.

'Almost,' Party replied, focused on the road. It seemed like the past few months had taken a toll on everyone. Spirits were low, and it was taking them some time to go back to normal, but they were trying their best. Ghoul was really trying.

But some days were harder than others.

Looking at the abandoned stores and the vast desert land, Ghoul couldn't help thinking about the old days. Before everything went to shit. Before the wars, and before BLI took over and ruined everything. Back when his dad was still alive.

He'd been thinking about him a lot lately.

Memories of him growing up in New Jersey, running around the house, while his dad practiced drums in the basement. Memories of his family, together and happy. That time his dad drove them to New York. And when his mom got him a guitar for his eleventh birthday.

He missed them a lot.

'You okay?' Party asked him, a hand on his thigh. Ghoul didn't notice he was crying. He just nodded and squeezed his hand.

Ghoul had noticed how Party changed. As much as he pretended to be the same joyful pain in the ass he'd always been, but Ghoul knew him better than anyone. He noticed he didn't smile like he used to, and he seemed worried all the time. About him, about Grace, his brother, and the others. Any time they had to do anything that would put their lives in danger, he'd argue against it.

And Ghoul got it. He'd put him through so much pain, and he hated himself for it.

But they were together again, and there was nothing to worry about.