Chapter Text
The sun had no right existing. The tunnels didnt have the sun, and the tunnels were totally fine. Well the tunnels weren’t perfect, the tunnels were actually pretty shit, but it wasnt the lack of sun that made them that way. The lack of sand was definitely a plus. Point one for the tunnels. Good for them.
Wearing all black in a literal desert was, in hindsight, a horrible idea. Newsie felt like she was going to pass out trying to make her way down route guano without a vehicle. No one told her it was going to be so hard to get around, but no one exactly knew to tell her either. Add that to the list of regrets newsie was starting. She was passing the time by alphabetizing them.
It wasnt every day that you saw an 11 year old by themself in the zones. There was a reason everyone said the witch had a soft spot for kids, kids in the zones were picked off like flies by dracs if not taken back for re-education. Newsie stopped dead in her tracks seeing a body off the side of the road. It looked like a child, there was no way they were older than her. They still had their mask on, it was pink with black lightning bolts on it. Newsie took it off them gently, putting it in their pocket.
Newsie felt sick being near it, but shakily stood up. They knew some things about the zones from their time as a juvie hall. There was a mailbox, newsie wasnt sure where said mailbox was but she was told if she found a mask to give it to the joys that passed through so they could bring it to the mailbox. She needed to find the mailbox.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of an engine behind her, making newsie jump out of her skin and turn to face the noise as fast as she could still gripping the mask.
There was a man- scratch that, a boy on a motorbike with his gun drawn. He had one a mask matching the one in her hands but it seemed more delicately decorated like he spent hours instead of minutes on it. He was scowling at newsie and newsie scrambled to back away as soon a he got off his bike.
“How the hell did you get that.” the boy’s voice was dripping with venom and newsies heart stopped for a moment still backing away as he moved towards her.
“I-” newsie was shaking as she pointed to the body at the edge of the road “i-its a good thing to take masks of the dead- right?”
“The dead?” the boys eyes widened, running over to the body he tried to say something but newsie couldnt hear him, feeling out of place in the situation as she didnt even know the boys name. He cradled the kids head in his arms mumbling something as he brushed neon blue hair out of their face. After a couple moments, he stood up clutching the cross necklace he had around his neck.
“Where are you going?” newsie asked, not meeting his eyes.
“Im going back to the station.” his voice was softer, reaching out to take the mask from her. he looked her up and down before asking even quieter “do you need a ride?”