hurt
everywhere
is
hurt
screaming
around
all around
scream
me?
move
MOVE!
ok
fingers
twitching
arms
aching
move my hands to my head
hold my head
stop
the screams
now
NOW!
STAND!
hands on ground as I
push myself up
aching aching hurt whine up up
standing
dirt
blood?
no blood
dirt dirty dirt dirt laughing
SILENCE! STAND! WALK!
ok
I will walk
my legs push forward
feet stumble
from my body's weight as I
pushing forward
walking
alive
REMEMBER!
remember…
The walls tall around me dark it's so dark and it's hot so hot screaming screaming help help Batman help me please anyone Batman please can't get out tied too tight it's too tight too knotted too well tied can't get out please someone can you hear me voice is raw and Batman please he'll find me Batman will find me and he'll get you he always gets the bad guy don't you know that stupid you're stupid HAHA stupid he'll find me are you scared he's gonna get you alone I'm alone it's hot Batman please where are you what's taking so long help help me someone anyone where am I find me Batman find me please I don't know how much longer how long has it been Batman will find me he'll find me he always finds me they'll always catch me what do you want anything please anything what do you want why are you doing he'll get you he will Batman please Bruce please I can't—
Grab head. No. Don't want. Not ready. Not yet.
Thirsty. Water. Find some.
Where am?
Woods. Little woods in outskirts. Gotham. Outskirts.
Woods. Water. Look.
Walking around I walk around looking for a pond for anything puddle anything water find. Pond. Cup my hands together drink water sloppy too sloppy not getting it slowly control I need control I slowly cup the water bring to mouth I drink delicious so good. Throat not burning. That much. Anymore. Good enough.
Stand back up I walk clothes dirty can't just walk into Gotham I walk to the edge of the little woods seeking a nearby house to find clothes stealing is bad no it's ok now it's all ok now I found a house I go to house small driveway no cars door is locked no one is home I pick the lock I've always been good at that I laugh a bit but it leaves a sour taste in my mouth I frown. Open the door I walk into house look around the rooms a family lives here maybe three? Four?
Maybe someone my age size maybe need some clothes let's go see I check the rooms boy's room clothes about my size I take blue t-shirt and a darker blue hoodie I used to like wearing hoodies I remember that I take his blue jeans too and some socks my old clothes are on the ground now the tattered remains of my old clothes I pick them up and the R is still there with but a smudge on it I tear it off I need to hide the clothes so I take a new pair of shoes from the boy as I leave I lock the door on the way out it's only polite go back to woods digging hole I dig a hole and throw the old clothes suit tattered remains in and bury it and as I leave the woods a part of me stays in the hole.
When Bruce returned home, Richard was no where to be found. Alfred had gone out not an hour ago to go grocery shopping so Bruce figured he had just snuck out to patrol or hang out with friends. Bruce knocked on the boy's door and had received no answer and was now staring at an open window. He raised an eyebrow in amusement before a slip of paper on Dick's wardrobe caught his eye. He picked it up and discovered a letter with the neat handwriting of Richard.
Good bye.
-With love, Richard Grayson
He ran to the batcave to try and find some sort of signal from a phone, from anything. He went around the house, patrolled Gotham, and found no sign of the boy. When he could not find him he informed the police as well as the league, trying to find his boy.
"Maybe he doesn't want to be found."
"Sometimes kids just run away."
"It was a tough life he led, maybe he just wants to get out of it for a bit."
"He might come back on his own, eventually."
"No evidence points to a kidnapping, Mr. Wayne."
"I'm sorry, Bruce."
The police found no signs of a kidnapping and Bruce received no ransom note. Batman could not get information from his villains that they did not have and the League could find no trace of the boy. After a few months it was put down to a runaway for they had no reason to believe it was not, and Bruce could not keep everyone searching if there was no evidence for them to go on. After all, if Richard Grayson, ward of Bruce Wayne was kidnapped they would want money. And if he was killed there would be a body somewhere, eventually.
"You have to try and move on."
After a year
Bruce and Batman gave up.