CHAPTER 1

-DOLLY-

...

A girl was standing watching seagulls soaring through the sky, she was 8 and mesmerised by the swift way they moved with such grace and yet purpose of where they were going.

She sat down on the sand not taking her eyes off them, smiling with a dream like expression. She was so happy, so content.

Then she woke up.

A cough came as she breathed, black was all around her. It was moving everywhere.

Smoke! Dense smoke was surrounding her, the woman dived to the floor and her arms took her weight as she crawled army style to where she thought by instinct was the door.

Why was there no alarm? The smoke detector should of at least gone off surely?

The crawl seemed endless and she didn't know how she would ever get down the stairs without swallowing more smoke. She needed to cover her mouth as well, at this she took off her top and tried to desperately rip it so she had something to cover her mouth with. It was always easier in the films wasn't it? Not here though, not in reality. The fabric wouldn't rip, she gave up and shoved it back on as quick as she could but being on the floor wasn't helping this.

It was when she started to crawl back to her room she thought she would die soon. She thought the flames would get to her soon, a tear left her eye and she came across something soft with her fist. It was her cuddly toy rabbit, the instinct to save it along with herself grew largely. She put the ear of the rabbit in her mouth so she could carry it that way. After a few minutes, coughing every now and then she reached the wall. The woman snaked her hand up the wall to feel for the window sill and hit it with her finger tips.

This was it, now or never. Quick or death.

She shoved the body of the bunny in her mouth as a gag to stop the smoke and breathed in through her nose with a deep breath. Holding that breath in her lungs she stood, fumbled for the window latch across the pane, swung it open and threw herself out to the hedge below.

She scrambled out the hedge, thorns scratching her legs through her pj bottoms. Clinging to dear life to her rabbit like a child, she gasped and took a step back.

Standing before her, black as the night. It was him. Batman of Gotham. The one who didn't save her or her parents a week ago.

Batman the murderer.

...

"Miss Diamond? Miss Diamond are you listening?" A female police officer was sat in front of her, trying to get her attention.

Risa Diamond was looking down at the table, dragging her fingernail over and over an indent in the wood. Smiling to herself and she finally looked up with a sigh.

"Did you hear what I just said Miss?" The police woman nudged her verbally again.

"Yes, yes I did" She sat back in the chair and narrowed her eyes at the officer.

"I think Miss Diamond has been through quite enough today" A woman standing in the corner spoke loudly. The lady stepped over to the table, lent over with palms facing down on it and looked sharply at the officer.

"Yes, but she also has assaulted two officers!" The policewoman bit back and banged her hand on the table.

Risa tried to hold back a smile as best she could, looking down at her nails and the blood that stained a few of them. She vaguely remembered dragging her nails across an officers face. It was the feeling of ripping the skin that she remembered, also the raw anger that lead to a form of release in the end. Risa didn't remember the persons reaction to it or what she saw as she did it.

"She was in shock, she just came out of a building on fire. Her home. I don't think she knew what she was doing. Stress does strange things to people" The lady defended her yet again.

She turned her head to Risa, with sympathy in her eyes and all Risa did was watch the ladies ID tag that dangled from her neck swing back and forth.

"Risa, do you remember anything. Even hurting anyone?" The lady asked with a gentle tone, trying to gain her attention.

Risa snapped back to reality, she chose her words carefully and her body language changed. Putting a hand to her mouth, she frowned, swallowed and looked at the Doctor before her.

"No, only smoke and trying to get out" Her voice shook as she spoke.

"And anything after that?" The Doctor asked her softly.

"No nothing" Risa looked as confused as she could muster.

But she remembered, not all of it of course. But the rage, the beauty of lunging at the unexpected officers and the empowerment it gave her. The freedom was wonderful.

The Doctor was walking her out the room now, guiding her with an arm behind her back. Risa wasn't taking in anything else said by anyone around her. She was going back to memories of feeling that freedom. It was only a few minutes that passed when she realised she was outside the Gotham City Police Department.

"Miss Diamond, do you want a taxi?'' The Doctor asked and Risa jumped a little.

"No, I think I'll walk. I really need the air" She replied matter of factly and patted the Doctor's arm. "I'll be fine. Also the paramedic checked me over. All I have to do according to them is go to the hospital if I feel ill"

"Really! They should be caring more than that! Come to my office tomorrow and I'll check you over myself. Where will you be staying? A friends?" The Doctor started showing great concern.

This isn't what she wanted. The concern, badgering her and smothering. Risa nodded silently.

"Well...when you get a good night sleep call me tomorrow and I will slot you in no matter what. They also found you're handbag near your front door" The Doctor handed out a card to her and her bag.

Risa took the card reluctantly from her, shouldered her bag and slipped the card into a pocket inside it.. She walked away , down the street until she reached the corner of a building, turned down it and just halted in her steps. She turned to look at some graffiti on the wall. It was a huge black bat, spray painted not with perfection though. Obviously sprayed quickly due to the Police being so close.

Risa felt sick, her stomach churned and she felt something she never felt before. A rage was all you could describe it as, she yelled at the top of her lungs regardless of those around her. People reacted differently, a mother pulled her child to the other side of the road, a man stopped and stared at her. Then another man asked if she was ok.

"Fine, just fine" Risa said. "Better than ever" She added and smiled.

Risa reached into her bag, fumbling for something and laughed when she reached it. But that wasn't why she laughed, it was because the man made a mistake. He put his hand on her shoulder, she looked at him straight in the eyes and glared. Immediatly he backed away and she relaxed a little. She saw it in his eyes, she knew straight away under it all that this wasn't just concern. The way he flicked his eyes over her, was it paranoia that made her think he wasn't just showing concern? No, something behind that look had more to it. He mumbled something at her under his breath, moving on from her. She recognised him in an instance. That was it, she followed him slowly and careful. It was as if the predator in her just rose to the surface.

She mentally told herself this was natural. Nature shouldn't be interferred with, it should be embraced and let grow.

Everytime her feet moved forward another step, she felt her heart beat rising like a tide.

He reached a door, pushed through it and Risa stopped outside it. She rose on her tiptoes to see through the window pane on the door and saw a blurred image of the man walking up some stairs that were right opposite the small entrance way. Risa blinked a few times, turned so her back was against the door and closed her eyes.

"What am I doing?" She questioned herself out loud. "What I have to" She replied to herself.

Her eyes opened again, she turned the handle on the door and she cursed when it didn't nudge. A security lock, she looked around the door in despair and saw a buzzer system. A small smile creeped across her lips, she pressed a button, then another and finally someone answered.

"Who is it?" An old man's voice spoke.

Perfect, absolutely perfect. Risa vanished her smile and coughed.

"I left my keys in my apartment, I'm locked out. It's freezing out here. Can you let me in?" She tried her best to sound pathetic.

No response.

"Oh please! You know what this place is like when a young girl is on her own" She wobbled her voice.

She never was good at acting, he'd never believe her. The fun was over and she turned away from the door with an outward breath. The buzzer went, she heard a click and rushed to the door. Risa turned the handle in excitement, the door pushed open with an effortless swing. For a moment she took in the smell of dust, candles that had been blown out and tabacco. Rushing up the stairs, she was feeling a sort of thrill.

He was there, putting his key in the lock, he turned it and in his other hands was his post. The timing was perfect, he had collected his post by the looks of it. Fate.

"You asked if I was ok?" Risa asked loudly and he jumped.

He was wide eyed, dropped the letters he held in a flustered manner and she watched as they floated leaves to the floor.

"Yes" He finally replied picking up the envelopes. "You startled me, do-do you live here?"

"Wow" She spoke in a sigh. She stepped closer to him, on tiptoe, she was now nose to nose with him. "You don't remember me do you?" She purred at him with a smile.

Risa grabbed the door handle behind her, pushed the door open and walked backwards into his apartment. She giggled as he smiled at her, he followed with ego plastered on his face. There it was, he changed completely. This wasn't a normal man, a sweet caring man, a helpful man and she knew him, the sickness within him.

"I don't remember you I'm sure I would of" He said with far too much of a sleazy manner.

Of course he wouldn't remember, she walked to the door and closed it. He didn't even react, he strolled into another room as if she wasn't even there and this to her was again typical. The ego, the sickness.

She walked around, searching for something. For an object that just had to be somewhere.

"Where is it?" She muttered to herself.

Of course. He returned, there it was in his hand, the blade and she glanced at it as if it was nothing. He looked down at it with mock laughter and put it on the coffee table.

"I always forget to put a knife down after I'm cutting vegetables. I don't know why" He smiled, laughing again as if it was the real reason. As if this was all true. Liar.

He walked to the window, turning the blind toggle slowly with a smile on his face.

Risa slowly moved to the coffee table, tracing a finger around the knife as if outlining it and she grasped the handle. She looked to him, there he was still closing the blinds, moment by moment and she wanted to laugh. Risa had found her moment, her stomach churned at the smirk on his face and it was time.

Slowly walking towards him, it was her turn to smirk and before he knew what was happening the blade was at his throat. He released his grip on the toggle and tried to move. She pressed the point of the blade into his neck, breaking the skin and yelped.

"Oh I'm sorry did that hurt?" She mocked him, with her mouth to his ear and she drew back from him a few steps.

He turned, it was too late for him. This was perfection, she thrust the blade into his side with rage and pleasure. All he did was stare at her, mouth opened like a fish.

"This time I plunge into you" Risa roared, withdrawing the knife from his side and then plunging it into his stomach.

He stumbled backwards into the window, his hand on his side went to his stomach and he stared at the knife.

Risa moved slowly towards him like a cat on the prowl, she tilted her head at him with another smirk. When she reached him she pressed a few of her fingers into his side wound and removed the knife from his stomach. He stared at her still, she looked into his eyes and every bit of rage disappeared.

"Speechless? You had alot to say before" Risa seemed bored and glanced at the bloody knife in her hand. She watched the blood dripping off it and found herself in a trance.

His blood finally stopped dripping off and she then looked at him. The pitiful creature before her, so weak and so victim like.

"You did alot before" Risa said, her smile had gone and she sat next to him. "I was just a doll to you, I bled still the same" She sang.

"You are... insane" The man managed to speak.

"That rhyme's" She giggled. She sang again. "I was just a doll to you, I bled still the same. You may think I'm insane. But you are to blame. I was just a doll to you..." She paused and stood up in front of him. "On that night you used this very blade, you could of got a prostitute if you wanted to get laid" She stopped staring him in the eyes and continued singing. "But that's how you saw me anyway, I guess this is my time to get paid".

Risa stepped towards him, she saw him trembling and just laughed. It was a hollow laugh, but a laugh of triumph and felt powerful to her. With his hands protecting his face, she plunged the knife into different parts of his body over and over. She counted ten, it was ten o'clock when she looked at her watch that night just before he grabbed her. She still remembered it, ten for ten o'clock, with the blade against her neck, the dust, the tabacco stench, the smell of candles just blown out, the key, the closing of the blinds, the coffee table.

"Perfection" She yelled and stared at him as he lay dying in a heap. She leant over him and put her mouth to his ear. "How does it feel to have someone force themselves on you. How does it feel, every plunge like a cut?" She laughed at him, suddenly he was still with eyes empty. "Goodnight dolly" She patted his head.

Walking away she felt on auto pilot, she went to his kitchen and looked for a carrier bag. Finding some in a drawer she put the bloody knife in several and glanced at the worksurface next to her.

"Well would you look at that you were cutting vegetables after all" Risa picked up a piece of raw carrot, popped it in her mouth and opened the door that lead to the fire escape.

Risa went into the night, but she wasn't Risa anymore.