“Do we still need to use our killjoy names, or can we use our real names?” I asked. I figured since we were dead, and no longer had to worry about Better Living that we could.
“I think that’s okay.” Party told me.
I guess I could call him Gerard or Gee now. Kobra Kid was Mikey, maybe I’d have to call him Michael to tease him sometime. Jet Star was Ray, I’d get to around to calling him Raymond sometime or another. And then there was Fun Ghoul, now known as Frank.
“Awesome. I guess I should say that my name is Samantha. Just Sam for short though.”
“Not Sammy?” Ray asked me.
“Nope. Just Sam.” I didn't like being called Sammy. I used to, but not anymore.
“I’m Gerard.” Gee stated, not thinking that we would remember his name from My Chemical Romance.
“Again, thank you captain obvious.” Frank told him. “You do remember our names, right?”
I nodded. “Yes. I can’t think of Flash’s name though. I know she told me once.” She was still crying, and I starting to feel bad for her. “By the way, it’s the past now. There’s nothing that can be changed about what happened, and I forgive you.” I told her.
She still continued to cry, with her head hung down.
“Sorry.” Ray told her before he smacked her on the cheek not real hard, but not playfully either. “Snap out of it.” He added.
“Ow. Um, my name’s... Shit, I, I forgot it.” She looked up at us.
The first thing I noticed when she looked at us were the black circles that had formed around her eyes. It seemed that right as she looked at us, they showed up, but weren't there before.
“Uh, wow. That’s weird.” Gerard told her.
“What?” She asked.
“First, you forgot your own name. Seconds, you have black circles around your eyes.”
“Huh?” She was puzzled by what he was saying.
I noticed a piece of broken mirror on the ground near my feet. I bent over to the pick it up and handed it to her so she could see for herself.
“Oh my God. I look so strange.” She remarked at her reflection.
“Well stranger than we look, but yeah.” Mikey joked a little.
For the first time since the black circles appeared on, uh, Flash’s face, I looked at the others again. I was surprised to find it wasn’t just Flash with black around her eyes. I knew it wasn’t like that a few moments ago though.
“Mikey, I wouldn't speak too soon. You all have black circles around your eyes.” I told them, and they started to look at each to be sure I was telling the truth.
“You too, Sam.” Gerard told me. I had figured as much, but it was nice to have a confirmed answer.
“This is strange.” Ray commented.
Now that Flash Drive wasn't crying anymore, she was obviously thinking about our situation a lot more. “Why is it only Gerard, and I that have white hair?” Was her first question.
“I don’t know.” Gerard said to her.
Frank just gave her look of anger. I guess he wasn't very happy with her right now. I could understand why though. She kind of had been the reason why we all ended up dying, and being here now.
“It makes sense that your hair is white, Gee. It was white for the album. But you, erm, Flash, I have no clue.” Mikey concluded.
Flash just sat down on the ground, and put her head between her knees. I could tell this was stressing her out. First she gets us killed, and Frank is really pissed off at her because of it. She doesn't even remember her own name too.
I, being me, was thinking through our current situation. One thought in particular came to mind, and I just had to ask the question.
“Do you think we get cool powers or something?”
Frank’s eyes lit up briefly at that. “That would be nice.”
“Can we just focus on figuring out what my name is? Sam you said you might know.” Flash Drive looked up at me pleadingly.
“Wait,” I closed my eyes, and thought really hard of when it was the she told me her name. With a blur of light, an image came into focus.
It was the first night I had properly met Flash Drive. We stayed up together for first watch. We were chatting on the hood of the Suburban. That’s when she told me her name.
I wasn't seeing it from my point of view like when I saw myself before. Again, I felt like I was watching like a movie.
With another flash of light, that image was gone, and I was back. I gasped from the ordeal, and lost my balance. I started to fall forward, but someone caught me.
I opened my eyes to see that it had been Gerard who caught me.
“What just happened?” He asked me, looking slightly worried.
There wasn't a moment to waste. “Adrian. Adrian Cole.” I said as loudly as I could, but that still wasn't very loud.
“What?”
I cleared my throat. “Her name is Adrian Cole.” I said again, much more audible this time.
Flash, I mean Adrian, looked at me thankfully. “Thank you, but what was that?” She looked more quizzical now.
To be continued...
I'm so sorry I didn't post for so long. I live in Pennsylvania and I'm sure you've heard all about Hurricane Sandy. Things have been a little crazy, and I wish the best for anyone whose suffered damage from Sandy. I'm glad to be posting this for you guys though, enjoy it.
Where's the roof?
-ThatPoet
