Chapter Six

                                    

                                          
I woke up in someone's arms. I look up sleepily to see Ghoul's hazel eyes, he was smiling down at me. He was carrying me bridal style, his arms supporting my arms and knees. Me still being the tired person I am, wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face in his chest. He was shocked at first, then he warmed up to whole ordeal.
                          
***
                          
The blinding sun. That's all I could see at the moment, was sunlight. It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust and when they had I was lying on the cold floor of the diner.
                          
Ghoul's arms were wrapped securely around me, and for once in years, I felt safe. The rest of the group, and the car weren't here. They must be patrolling the area.
                          
Since there was no way I'm getting out of his grasp, I wiggle around in his arms so my face is in his chest. I hear his adorable chuckle when I do so. I wrap my arms around his waist and cuddle into his chest, him pulling me closer by the waist and petting my hair. He starts to sing a slow song.
                          
"Well I never, said I'd lie and wait forever, if I died, we'd be together now. I can't always just forget her. But she could try. 
At the end of the world, or the last thing I see. You are, never coming home never coming home could I? Should I?"
                          
The song sounded very sad but the way he sang it masked the sadness portrayed by the lyrics. Then at that moment when Ghoul was getting to the second verse, the guys walked in with a little girl clinging onto Kobra's leg.
                          
"Aw, look at the short couple." Party says sarcastically. I throw a glare his way and he puts his arms up in surrender.
"Uh huh. That's what I thought."
                          
"Fun Ghoul!" The little girl yells. She looks no older than ten. She runs over Ghoul and throws her arms around him. He does the same, judging by the look on his face, I could tell he was happy to see her. Its the kind of look he always gives me.
                          
"Hey there Missile." He says, a huge smile plastered on his face. "I missed you kiddo."
"I missed you too." The kid I assume to be Missile says, her voice muffled by Ghoul's vest.
                          
She pulls away and looks me over. I look at her questioningly.
"Who are you?" She asks, her hands balling into fists.
"Whoa whoa Missile. She's okay. She's a part of the group." Party says, putting a hand on my shoulder and a hand out in front me to tell the kid to stop.
"Okay! Hey what's your name?" She asks in an oddly enthusiastic tone. Reluctantly, I answer. 
"Um, Bullet System. And you are?" I ask.
"I'm Missile Kid. I'm a friend of the killjoys." She says with a smile. I decide to return the smile, and then she does something unexpected. She hugs me.
                          
"I like you." She says, her words muffled by my jacket. Then she whispers in my ear. 
"And so does Ghoulie." I nearly burst out laughing at this comment, but blush anyway.
                          
Missile pulls away and stands up, extending a hand for me to take. I oblige and stand up with her. Ghoul was already up, putting on his boots. I do the same and we all head out the door, and into the car. Party gets in the driver's seat and Kobra moves the passenger seat forward for us to get in. Ghoul goes first, then me, then Missile, she's sitting on my lap, and lastly Jet.
                          
After a few minutes of driving and listening to old CDs from before the world went to shit, I asked an seamingly stupid question.
"Hey Party?" 
"Yeah?" He asked. 
"What did you guys do before the world got effed up?" I asked.
He sighed and answered. 
"We uh, we were a band. We are actually listening to it right now, that's why I know every word to every song." I picked up the CD case and looked over the cover. "My Chemical Romance?" I ask.
"Yep that was us." Ghoul says from beside me. 
"Mind if ask your real names?" 
"No its okay." Jet says. "I was born Ray Toro."
I look to Ghoul and he answers. "I was born Frank Iero. That's spelled I-E-R-O." I giggle a little bit. He's such a nerd. But he's my nerd.
Then Kobra answers for him and Party.
"I'm Mikey Way, and that one that's driving, that's Gerard Way. He's my older brother." Once I hear all of their names the facts fall into place. 
"OH MY GOD. I WAS SUCH A HUGE FAN OF YOU GUYS." I burst out. They all start to laugh. 
"Any way Bullet. What did you do and what was your name before the world went to shit?" Party asks.
                          
"I was an aspiring musician, I had started the band Menace I was the singer and guitarist. And I was born Venus Aria Song." I say rather fast. 
                          
A hand is placed on my shoulder and I whip around to see who it is. It's Ghoul. 
"That is one badass name." He says with a smile. I smile back, knowing that he honestly really loved me. 
                          
"Do you know the words to this song?" Party asks. 
"Which song is it?" I ask, I cant really hear it. 
"Um, The Jet Set Life." He answers. 
"OF COURSE I KNOW THE WORDS." I burst out again. He laughs. "Mind to sing it for us?" 
                          
I belt out every lyric, singing with my heart. This is exactly what I did when my band mates weren't high on happy pills.
                          
--FLASHBACK--
                          
"Hey Ari, want to practice that song again?" 
"Yeah, Jack just don't mess up this time." I answer.
                          
We start to play the song "The Jet Set Life" by My Chemical Romance, over again so we can get it perfect before we record the cover and put it up on our band's youtube channel.
                          
****
                          
"Those drums sounded great Jess!" I exclaim, while high fiving her. "I know right!" 
                          
In the distance, there was a random explosion. A mushroom cloud forming right above the skyline of Los Angeles. 
"What the actual fuck was that?" Our bassist, Mark asks. 
"I have no fucking clue." Our lead guitarist, Jack answers. "Should we get inside?" I ask. The three of them nod in unison. As we turn around to walk back into our recording studio, we are all grabbed from behind, tied up, and pushed into a pristine white van.
                          
"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU AND WHERE ARE YOU TAKING US?!" I yell. I am instantly hit with the butt of a gun and pass out.
                          
****
                          
I wake up in what seems like an infirmary, my head pounding and my lip hurts. I reach my hand up to touch my lip and feel blood. There's a bones l burning on my forearm and I look down.
"Is that- is that a barcode?" I ask myself, not knowing there's another person in the room.
                          
"Why yes my dear, that is how we identify our patients." The man says. 
"What do you mean patients?" I ask. 
"Never mind that. Just take these pills and all your pain will go away." He says while handing me a bottle of pills. 
                          
I take the bottle and look it over, enraged by the current situation, I throw it across the room. 
"I will not take these pills. They are probably going to make me walk around these halls like a mindless zombie." I get up from the bed to face the  bald man. He had a white frilly shirt with a grey coat over it. 
                          
"I am not an idiot and I know what you are trying to do." With that, I exit the room, running down the white halls and out the main doors on the main floor.
When I get outside, I look up to see the name of the building I was just in.
"Better Living Industries." I whisper to myself. 
                          
I turn around to run through the big city, to find a way outside and I see a big tunnel. I run through it, finding myself face to face with a desert of red dirt and broken dreams.
                          
--FLASHBACK OVER--
                          
"Bullet?" Someone asks while snapping in front of my face. I click back to reality. 
"Hm?" I ask, now fully aware of where I am. 
"You okay?" Jet asks. 
"Yeah, I'm okay. Just lost in thought."
"Oh okay. Whatcha thinkin' about?" Ghoul asks, putting his elbows on his knees and looking at me intently.
"Just about how my life was before Better Living Industries." I say looking at the floor of the car. 
"It's okay Bullet. Here with us is better." Missile Kid says with a smile. I give a bear hug and soon Ghoul and Jet join in, seeing as we are all in the back seat.