When you see them, it's perfection.
The way they move - in synchronization. Every fight is performed with a lining of elegance. They look practiced, professional, strong. You can sense a strong bond between them, a friendship. A perfect friendship. Trust.
And they all lead perfect lives, everything they want at their fingertips, no one stands in their way. No one has ever stood in their way.
All of them have everything they need, nothing to worry about.
It's different to her.
I rolled over, a bright light blinding me. I shoved my face into my pillow.
Not again.
The pillow muffles my yelp as I am lifted by the collar of my shirt out of bed and thrown across the room.
You need training, he says. When he turns, the torch switches off, and I am plunged back into darkness.
The electricity barely gets paid anymore - I feel like I'm living my life in darkness.
I shift my body so I'm sitting up, taking out my own torch. I've done this before, but that doesn't make it easy.
Right on cue, I hear men shouting outside. There must be about a dozen, surrounding the house. I can already imagine them. Rough looking men, with guns,knives, and whatever weapons they could pick up on the way here. They don't care that they're chasing a girl. They don't mind it's the bosses daughter. They just want blood. They want to see me cry, like I did when it first started. But that would be given those sadists pleasure, so I know to button up when they catch me. If they catch me.
I grab my arrows and run to the elevator. It's been broken for years, but the stairs aren't an option. I jam an arrow between the cold steel doors, pushing with all my might. The doors make a loud grinding noise as they open just a crack. I force myself to push harder,my muscles screaming for me to stop. When the crack is big enough I jump through,elevator doors shutting with a clang behind me. I grab the cable as I fall, wincing as it burns my hand. My left shoulders makes a clicking sound and I bite my lip, ignoring the pain.
I drag myself up the shaft, listening to the sounds of them men fade. I reach the top, pulling the doors apart while clinging onto the cable with my legs.
I'm out.
I run to the edge of the roof, looking at the shimmering city below. Despite the darkness,the night is lit up with dazzling signs. It is one of the few moments when you realize the beauty of Gotham.
Then it's over.
A man below is walking along, about to run into a young woman who is looking frightened.
It's Gotham. Everyone is frightened.
Suddenly, the man has the woman pressed up against the wall, his knife shimmering, reflecting the city's lights. The woman opens her mouth but the man says something, holding his knife centimeters away from her throat. Shaking, she reaches for her purse.
No.
I can't let this happen.
I sprint down the fire escape, reaching for my bow.
By the last few steps I've aimed and fired, the fierce knife knocked from the mans hand. He swears, clutching his hand. I fire another arrow from the shadows, and the thief screams as it scrapes his hand, stumbling back.
Wuss.
The woman, seeing her chance, runs.
Instep out of the shadows towards the man. He sees me and laughs, his deep sounds echoing in the empty street. He runs at me, but I sidestep easily. A few swift punches and he's out, lying unconscious on the dirty pavement.
Easy.
Suddenly I am grabbed by behind. A burning pain pierces my back, and I scream. In the sudden darkness I can make out many shadows.
They've found me.
My bag of arrows is ripped from my clutch and tossed away. Lashing out, I bite someone's hand. The hand draws back with a yell, but seconds later I am hit in the back of the head with what I think is a crowbar.
My eyes water, my head spins. The world around me goes blurry as the pain numbs my body. I slump over, on my knees, as my father's goons laugh at me, punching and pinching me. Through my the blur, I see a shape that can only be my father.
He stares at me for a moment, then kicks my knees, causing me to fall again, hitting my head on the pavement, causing even more pain.
He leans down, his face close to mine. Through the tears I can barely make out his face.
He instructs his men to wait for a moment. I sigh at the slight easing of my pain.
"I'm disappointed in you, Artemis" he says. He nods to his 'helpers' and they continue what they started, until all I see is black.