Lost Boy (True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys) #Wattys2016

Chapter XIV

"Who's Arthur?" Kid asked.

I sighed. "He's a guy that works with me and Flam at the laundromat. If there's anyone that deserves...to go shopping with us, it's him."

"And how do we know he's not some Ritalin Rat that'll rat us our to BLI the first chance he gets?" Soda sneered.

"He won't, I know it," I promised. "I hope."

Of course, I said that last part a lot quieter.

"Fine, we'll let you take him with us," Soda decided. "But if he doesn't wanna come, don't come cryin' to me."

I nodded. "Don't worry, I'm willing to bet that he won't say no."

Please, Jesus, Atom, anyone up there with any kind of power, let me help him escape. Please.

"Good, it's settled," Kid said, clapping his hands together. "I'll bring this up to Silicone at work tomorrow. Boy, it's your job to bring it up to Flam and Artery."

"Arthur."

"Whatever. And don't forget the whiskey when you go."

I nodded. "Great!"

The next day at work was long and boring. I didn't know how to bring it up to Arthur, and I knew I needed to do it soon.

We went out to lunch again, Arthur buying it again. It was a more awkward meal, a little quieter than usual, even with Flam's normal silence.

"What's the matter, Chris?"

I closed my eyes. "Please, don't call me that."

"Why?" Arthur asked. "Are you having a name crisis again?"

I shook my head. "No, it's not that. It's just...you're reminding me of someone I lost that was very- dear to me."

"I understand," Arthur said, nodding. "So, Christoph, what's wrong?"

"You know when you have something important to tell someone, but you don't know how to tell them?" I asked.

Arthur gave the most peculiar response: he froze in surprise.

What is...

"Arthur, are you okay?"

He looked down uncomfortably at his food. "Christoph, I have a story to tell you. It's not a long one, but it sure is an important one."

I moved around in my seat. What's he talking about?

"This happened a few years back, in 2019. There was a group of men named the Fabulous Killjoys were being taken by storm in Battery City after spending years in the desert. After they were all apprehended, everyone thought they were dead."

"Soda told me about them. But they are dead, aren't they?" I asked. Flam nodded assuredly, but Arthur sighed like he was going to regret what he was going to say. "Arthur? The Killjoys are dead?"

"No," Arthur said. His face was pale and completely terrified. "Most of us are not."

Flam's eyes widened and he gasped. He did a hand movement almost like he was saying the same thing I was thinking.

"We?"

Arthur sighed again. "Let me start this story by introducing myself."

"But you have introduced yoursel-" Flam grabbed my wrist and shook his head.

"Arthur isn't my real name. As a matter of fact, it's my middle name."

"Mid-"

"Shut up," he hissed, then calmed himself down. "Sorry. My name is Gerard Arthur Way, or as you'd better know me, Party Poison."