Issue 29
Gotham Nobodies: Pied Pipers
Monday-
Otis Flanagan sat in the makeshift bleachers staring into the muddy pit below enclosed by walls of mismatched chain link fences. The Dealer infamously ran the betting pits for years around various abandoned areas in Gotham. Some weeks it was in an empty school or shut down meat packing plant but regardless of location it boasted a wide variety of vicious talent eager to make their name. Plenty died or received serious injury in the fighting ring but the drive to compete kept them coming back.
By himself Otis sat near the top next to a neat row of rats who watched the fights intently. Sometime two or three rats would break formation to wrestle mimicking the action below until Otis broke them apart. Eventually a group of new rats appeared dragging a transparent bag of popcorn up the steps toward the party. Otis walked down to grab the snack ending their struggle. Returning to his seat with the scavengers close on his heels Otis tore open the bag scattering it across the bench. His friends squeaked and danced under the rain of stale heaven.
"Otis, what's up buddy?" a massive man named Amygdala, Aaron Helzinger, asked climbing up towards the spectators.
"Helz! How you doing?" Otis greeted extending the popcorn, "That was a great fight between you and Blockbuster."
"Thanks, Mark is pretty tough. What are you doing here? Don't see you around the pit much."
"Well I-I," he began uncomfortably, "I came here to see somebody actually."
"Oh really, who?" Helz asked munching the movie style popcorn. In the arena Philo Zeiss a dangerous speedster in goggles made a quick entrance to mixed applause. The announcer then prepared to introduce his opponent.
"And now in the black corner, the whalish widow maker herself, Oooorrrcaaaaa!" the announcer proclaimed and Dr. Grace Balin hopped into the pit all three hundred and forty pounds of her.
"Her," Otis whispered clearly embarrassed but Helz nodded his approval.
"Grace is a cool chick, tough as nails," he said as Grace took strike after rapid strike from Zeiss until finally catching him and stomping him brutally, "You should ask her out. Don't think she's seeing anybody."
"Really? You think so?"
"Sure…what's the worst that could happen?" he asked as Grace threw a broken Zeiss through a piece of chain link roaring ferociously. Otis gulped reflexively. After the fight ended he caught up with Grace as she exited the changing room. To his relief she smiled broadly when she saw him.
"Hey you! I wasn't expecting to see you here," she greeted warmly. Smiling shyly Otis fought to maintain eye contact.
"I-I came to see you actually. You were great out there. Zeiss is no joke," he congratulated.
"Thanks, Slade's training is really paying off," she waited but Otis said nothing, "Was there something else you needed?"
"Yes um, I m-mean…n-no nevermind," he turned around mortified preparing to walk away from his failure.
"Wait!" Grace called and he stopped, "Would you want to go out sometime?"
"Like a uh date? I'd really like that to be honest," he answered.
"Good," she stated, "I'd take you up on it now but I need a shower. How about tomorrow night at my place? I'll make dinner."
"That sounds great! I'll be there. Should I bring anything?"
"Nope that's okay. Maybe just leave the rats at home," she offered. Confused he turned around to find a pack of at least thirty members of his gang all sitting on their hind legs watching quietly. Mr. Bikkers was there unconsciously brushing his whiskers as he often did. Candy Sandy sat next to her best friend Lulu while Sneeker peeked over their shoulders. Next to him Higgenbottom covered his face in horror at Otis's behavior. The list continued at length. Sometimes he felt he had a full time job just remembering all their names.
"Alright everybody, beat it! This is private business!" Otis bellowed and the rats scattered in every direction. Many ran into each other amid the chaos of the escape. Luckily Grace laughed at their antics.
"Tomorrow night, seven o'clock. See you there, boss," she teased kindly and left him smiling and happy and hopeful more than he felt in a long time. Later that night returning to his nest in the sewers he reclined on soft bags of trash with a large group of friends thinking about his upcoming date. As a swarm of flies passed over their trash pile Otis looked down at the crusty rags he wore and suddenly realized how badly he needed to clean up his act.
Tuesday-
The next night after a wonderful dinner of shrimp scampi and spinach with Grace, Otis casually wandered the East End looking for nothing in particular. Full, sated, and satisfied with Grace's easy company he strolled through the city of his birth to appreciate the wonders and stories Gotham had on display. Like a well-worn theater Gotham chose what scenes to play that night across its larger than life screen. Sometimes the city showed him the nervous beginning or contented middle act of love or the enduring bonds of caring family. Often the scenes were darker and significantly sadder.
One of these showings appeared before his eyes as he quietly travelled down another nameless alley. Laughing to each other three men, two in GCPD blues, surrounded a woman trapped against a cracked wall. Obviously by the clothes and her age he recognized she was part of the mutant gang who congregated in the most dangerous areas of Gotham. The police officers beat her badly as evidenced by her muted sobbing and bleeding face.
"That's enough," one of the blues stated, "We should get rid of her now." In response the plain clothes officer most likely a detective removed a handgun that didn't appear to be a service weapon and shot her in the stomach. Unbeknownst to them the mutant girl remained breathing weakly and begging as the group left in the other direction from Otis. He approached after they were gone and knelt beside her. The girl looked up at him gasping for air.
"You're hurt," Otis observed searching for any cloth that might have staunched the bleeding.
"M-my baby," she replied motioning towards the pile of trash next to her, "Help please." Otis glanced towards her pointing finger but saw nothing and assumed she was delusional.
"Why did they do this?" he asked.
"They use us when they want. Promise m-money and give us this w-when it's over. Ted s-says we should pay taxes then they m-might protect and serve us," she moaned in agony after this.
"I should go get help. I'll find a paramedic or someone with a phone and-"
"No!" she cut him off and grabbed his shirt, "My b-baby, you have to help. Prolly Rob or D-Don's…still so little. I'm gonna die now."
"Hey, hey," Otis tried to get her to focus, "You have to hold on. They can fix this." Once again her attention returned to the trash pile.
"Help my baby, J-Jude-" she coughed up blood trying to point again, "Ju-Jud-Ju-" The girl closed her eyes and was gone. Gently Otis brushed the soiled strands of hair from her eyes. He finally stood glancing at the bags of trash that seemed to preoccupy the girl but noticed nothing out of the ordinary. Walking back the way he came Otis paused at the end of the alley wondering which way to go.
Without understanding why he suddenly turned and ran back to the pile of garbage bags next to the girl. Carefully he removed one after another until he found a cardboard box unsoiled like the rest. As he opened the top a fair haired child popped its head out smiling and oblivious.
"Hi," the toddler spouted eagerly. The baby probably close to two walking wobbly and mainly repeating the speech it heard. It had bright blue eyes and caramel colored skin.
"Hey there, little guy," Otis greeted picking him up out of his box, "Let's get you out of there." Leaning against Otis's cheek the baby spotted his mother slumped against the wall no longer breathing.
"Mama," he called reaching out and trying to wiggle from Otis's grip.
"You can't. Your momma she…" he stopped unsure how to explain.
"Mama? Mama!" the boy shouted unaware what it all meant. Carrying a baby and heavy heart Otis took the child from the gruesome scene. Tears wetted his cheeks as the boy cried staring over his shoulder. Otis's first idea was to take the kid to a hospital or orphanage but realized he'd be incriminating himself in a murder once the mother was discovered. Without other options Otis did the only thing he could think of at the moment. They went together into the sewers.
Back in the home nest he sat with the wailing kid on his lap before a quiet audience of innumerable rats checking out the new arrival. Soon the team he sent out returned balancing a pilfered pack of diapers across their coordinated backs. The child's diaper was completely full when he removed it and two rats quickly shuttled it away. The first attempt at changing resulted in Otis tearing off the sticky tab on one side. Using the torn diaper he wiped the baby down to find a surprising lack of penis.
"Look at that," he exclaimed, "You're not Jude after all. She must have meant Judy." The little girl smiled hearing her name. Once clean and wearing a fresh diaper she sat at the edge of Trash Mountain watching the rats play and goof off for her enjoyment. Judy laughed, clapped, and squealed at their antics until sleep got the better of her and she dozed off in his arms.
Wednesday-
Otis woke that morning to bugs biting as usual and realized he was keeping a child in the most unhygienic place imaginable. Luckily Judy still slept in his arms untroubled by the clutter. A few of his gang crawled up around the pile nosing him inquisitively. They wanted to know his plans for the baby.
"Okay everyone," he whispered as not to wake the baby, "Organize search parties, four groups with twenty of the best scouts in each. All parties take a direction. You're looking for a nest for Judy. It needs to be dry, safe, and quiet with water pipes nearby, the more secluded the better. Report back at noon. All the rest of you need to clean this place up, baby proof it. That means remove anything sharp like broken glass or used needles.
Also we need to go shopping. Where's Thrifty Paws? Good…Thrifty we need money, paper bills that have this written on them." He wrote the number twenty into the dirt before the sticky fingered rat. With orders given the rats quickly delegated assignments and split up to get to work. Soon Otis and Judy were alone as the girl still slept soundly against his chest. Rather they were almost alone as a lone remainder wiggled out from under Trash Mountain.
Oscar, the fattest rat in the sewer, survived the fire in Pam's garden so long ago it now seemed. Through physically intact the traumatic experience clearly affected him as he rarely ventured far from Otis's home anymore. He crawled up his best friend's arm and looked at Judy who now occupied his typical area. Otis knew this was coming as Oscar stared at him unhappily.
"This is Judy," he explained softly, "She's staying with us until we find her a home. You'll make friends with her I know. Don't worry buddy." Oscar puffed up apparently unimpressed and rested on his friend's occupied shoulder but turned away to pout as spoiled pets do. In no time the army of rats had their living area cleaned up and Thrifty returned with three soggy twenty dollar bills.
By this time Judy woke up and after a fresh diaper she waddled around chasing the rats and digging into everything. Otis fashioned a harness from a cloth grocery bag cutting holes for her feet and weaving some security straps. Slinging it over his shoulders he equipped the baby and the pair ventured into the daylight to shop. He picked up a hot plate that ran on propane as well as jars of baby food and cereal. With the remaining cash he bought some new clothes and pajamas.
Although he received a few strange looks Otis was shocked when he experienced no objection or criticism from people he encountered. He kept waiting for someone to stop him and explain he wasn't allowed to care for a child. By noon they returned to the sewers and Otis fed the bottomless food pit that was Judy. Shoveling spoonful after spoonful into her mouth he listened as rats from the search parties relayed the potential spots they found. Pinky, an adventurous if sometimes scatterbrained young rat, seemed to have found the perfect home based on how she described it.
After lunch he packed up his small wagon with necessities and dropped the multitude of shoestring lines attached to the front. A crowd of rats grabbed a line in their teeth and soon a swarm pulled the wagon north like a dogsled. Otis followed Pinky as they trekked toward their new homestead. Eventually they reached a drier, quieter area of the sewer but Otis felt something was wrong like he left his nonexistent stove on at Trash Mountain.
Once they reached their destination Otis couldn't deny it was perfect, no chance of flash flooding or insect infestation. The small room off the main chamber connected to an unused overflow chamber on the other side. Inside the room were water mains with extensions branching off in every direction. Using some plumbing knowhow he broke into an extension where he was able to siphon off any clean water they needed.
While the rats cleared every inch of their new home from trash and debris Otis warmed up some water in a pot over the hot plate creating a bath for little Judy. She absolutely loved splashing and playing in the water as he scrubbed her down. By the time he got her in another diaper and pajamas it was dinnertime so she ate the remaining baby food and bite sized snacks. Then the sun began to set and the entire crew was worn out from the strenuous day.
Otis stretched out on the hard ground wrapping his only blankets around Judy. A runt sized rat named Wicket brought him a stale, dirty vendor pretzel for dinner but Otis ate it thankfully. Judy fussed some as she fought against the coming sleep but he held her desperately trying to keep his eyes open. Suddenly he heard the shrieking metal of the massive grate being removed in the overflow chamber and instantly remembered why he had that strange feeling earlier. His eyes shot open and he remembered why they never came here before now. It was the monster's home.
Solomon Grundy
Born on a Monday
Christened on Tuesday
Married on Wednesday
Took ill on Thursday
Worse on Friday
Died on Saturday
Buried on Sunday
That was the end
Of Solomon Grundy
Otis heard the enormous monster panting as he entered the chamber then an alarmed grunt as he discovered his home had been disturbed. Cursed with infinite life due to his previous crimes as the man called Cyrus Gold, Grundy lived a sad life alone and angry. Mountainous and corpselike he continued to be reborn after each death with varying personalities and levels of intelligence. Peeking around the corner Otis watched the beast raging over his cleared out living space.
"Ahh," Judy screamed excitedly when she saw Grundy pacing heavily. The monster swung around and screamed quickly closing in on them.
"Wait Grundy! Please! We didn't mean to mess your place up," Otis begged as Grundy leaned down in front of them and bellowed.
"Solomon Grundy!" the spittle sprayed from his broken lips.
"Satoma Gunny!" Judy yelled back thinking it was all a game and maybe it was.
"Solomon Grundy!" he shouted again.
"Somoman Gundy!" Judy echoed and Grundy seemed confused at the small creature Otis shakily protected.
"Solomon Grundy," he grunted sticking a massive finger towards her. Judy tried to copy him again and used both tiny hands to grab his extended digit. For some reason Grundy seemed satisfied at their repetitive conversation and turned back to his home stretching out on the concrete floor.
"Grundy," he mumbled to himself rolling over and ignoring them. Otis had trouble getting the newly excited Judy to sleep but it eventually found her. He on the other hand slept unsettled with one eye open.
Thursday-
Otis awoke horrified the next morning to find his arms empty and the baby nowhere in sight. Scrambling off the unforgiving floor Otis immediately heard giggling from Grundy's room and quietly approached. Effortlessly Grundy balanced Judy on one hand reciting his poem to her. To Otis's horror he raised her into the air and dropped her only to carefully catch her in his other massive mitt. She screamed and laughed in delight at the game.
"Buried on Sunday, born on Monday," Grundy now held her close as he sadly recounted his tale in the only way he could, "Buried on Sunday, born on Monday. Buried on Sunday, born on Monday." A fat tear rolled from one yellowed eye as Judy stared intently trying to understand. She touched the wetness on his face with a furrowed brow then kissed him on the cheek.
"Morning you two," Otis said clearing his throat. He picked up the baby but Grundy stopped him with a heavy hand on Otis's shoulder still staring at Judy.
"Tuesday," he grunted tickling her belly. Judy just laughed. Once again Otis sent Thrifty Paws and two more stealthy partners out to collect more money and took the hungry toddler above ground to the apartment of his friend Roxy Rocket for breakfast.
"What the hell is that?" Roxy demanded when she saw Judy in the carrier on his back.
"It's a baby," Otis explained as he pushed past her towards the aroma of bacon and eggs.
"Oh is it? Never saw one in the wild before," she answered sarcastically, "I know it's a baby, stupid. Why do you have it?" Otis explained as he fed the ravenous kid sneaking a bite for himself here and there. He told Roxy about the cops and her murdered mother.
"That's terrible…fucking cops. You have to get rid of it like now," Roxy declared. As a lover of danger, adventure, and partying she roundly rejected the idea of being tied down with kids.
"How come?" Otis mumbled with a mouthful of eggs.
"Well for one thing you live in a sewer. You can't raise a baby in the sewer."
"So what should I do?"
"There's an orphanage two blocks from Hudson. Take her there," Roxy answered. Before long there was a scratch at the door and Otis's money collectors returned one rat short. Thrifty Paws relayed the sad tale of Sergeant Sinker getting caught pulling money from a wallet sitting on a restaurant table. A man snuck up behind Sinker, knocked him to the ground, and stomped him to death.
"No, no, no," Otis lamented on the couch, "I'm so stupid. I shouldn't have pushed your luck. No more stealing. We're going straight from now on. We're going to need money, Roxy."
"Woxy," Judy repeated but Roxy just scowled.
"Don't try that cute shit on me, kid," she warned writing a name down for Otis, "Go to this address and see the Publisher. Maybe she's got work but try the orphanage first. Raising a kid is beyond you, Otis."
"Yeah, yeah," he replied packing Judy into her carrier, "Sure you don't want to babysit?"
"Fuck no!" she answered slipping him a hundred dollar bill, "Make sure she eats though."
"Say thanks Aunt Roxy," Otis encouraged the baby.
"Than' An' Woxy," Judy spouted.
"No problem, girlie," she answered smiling, "Now fuck off." Otis stared at Judy after the door closed in their face.
"Uck off!" Judy monkeyed and he sighed. Leaving Roxy's place Otis considered she might be right and decided to visit that orphanage she mentioned. It was called St. Anthony's and sat distinctly between a liquor store and a porno shop. As he entered kids tore through the large house in packs screaming and carrying on like heathens. A young woman finally greeted him at the door inviting them into the office.
Softly Otis recounted the story of finding baby Judy. He spoke of the alley, the assailants but left out the bit about them being cops, and the mortally wounded mother who cared for nothing but her little girl. As he progressed he sensed the woman felt uneasy but continued to explain how he took care of her and didn't want the authorities to think he was somehow involved. It didn't sound as innocent when he described the situation to a stranger.
"I've never said this before," the lady began after he finished, "but you need to get that baby out of here right now."
"Excuse me?" Otis asked in disbelief.
"For weeks now SECURE comes in here daily, to every orphanage in town actually, looking for exactly what you just described. A child abandoned, a victim of a crime they witnessed against their parents or guardians. They've already taken six that we know of. They say they're sending them to better homes but something about it just rubs me the wrong way. It seems like you care about little Judy a lot. I suggest you keep it up and keep her away from places like this. I won't take her unless you report me and I'm forced."
"Why would they want these kids?" he asked but she shook her head.
"They don't answer to us and believe me we've asked. Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked as Otis noticed a foul stink emanating from the baby's backside.
"Do you have any diapers?" he wondered.
Friday-
Once again he found Judy playing with Grundy that morning reading baby books together. They appeared equally impressed by the bright colors and funny pictures though neither could make out the words. The previous day Otis used Roxy's gift to buy a small crib and blankets for the baby along with a comb, wipes, and another pack of diapers. That morning he created a series of washing stations for his rats to clean themselves before playing with the baby.
So many were desperate to play with baby Judy the basins were soon full of soapy rats chattering and scrubbing each other's backs. Kingsley an overeager young rat quickly found he couldn't swim so Otis had to fish him out by the tail feeling sorry for the little guy as the other rats wouldn't forget his blunder. Waiting at the end of the rinsing tub Judy held a clean fluffy towel and helped dry the soaked animals one by one. She couldn't help but giggling as they wiggled under the towel.
After changing the water Otis decided he needed a bath so he left Judy with Grundy as he washed down with a rag and bar of soap. He fed Judy eyeing the dwindling food supply and decided it was time to find work. Packing a baby bag he strapped Judy to his back and they headed out of the sewers. The sun was already setting since he spent so much of the day organizing their new home. Otis hopped on the first bus across the river to the address Roxy gave him. At the last stop Otis climbed off and identified an old house standing alone on top of a nearby hill as their destination.
Reminded of the spooky house from Psycho the structure had to be a hundred years old with only minor remodels done to it. A loose shutter slapped the siding in the busy breeze. Paint peeled off everywhere and scattered the ground at the base of the foundation. Judy slept against his back as he began the long climb up the gravel driveway. Without warning a screech rose up from the nearby tree line then a dozen more growing. A massive figure broke free through the tops of the trees and spread its black wings against the diminishing sky.
Sprinting now Otis recognized the Man Bat previously Dr. Kirk Langstrom. Apparently the serum that originally transformed him into a bat now fully controlled his actions. Otis knew they were nothing but prey in its vision as Man Bat made a pass over preparing the circle back for a strike. Though he knew they wouldn't make the front porch Otis also understood it was too late to turn back.
Halfway up the hill he spotted an exposed drainage pipe running along the ditch next to the driveway. Judy ooed and awed watching Man Bat dive towards them as Otis ran for the pipe. He saw the shadow growing, stretching out over them when he dove for the opening of the pipe landing belly first into a smelly, muddy runoff coursing through it. Man Bat extended his talons slamming into the end of the pipe reaching and screeching viciously.
"That's Man Bat," Otis told Judy, "He's pretty mean and doesn't want to be our friend."
"Man Ba?" she asked curiously as Otis crawled on all fours through the muck. When the concrete pipe ended they snuck across the yard onto the screened in porch. A dusty rock sat surrounded by trash and the doorbell proved inoperable. Otis knocked a few times until he heard a distant voice scream to come inside. Opening the door Otis saw the house filled with newspapers some crisp and black while others were mildewed and yellow.
"I'm in the den," the weathered voice called and Otis entered a cloud of smoke that filled the dimly lit office. Behind a cluttered desk sat an old woman with a grey beehive hairdo and costume jewelry weighing her down. Thick makeup caked her face and her raised eyebrows were drawn on by an experienced hand.
"What do you want?" she spit through the extra-long cigarette glowing between her lips.
"Uh um," Otis fidgeted suddenly uncomfortable, "Are you the Publisher?"
"That's me kid. Annie May Baxter-Allison-Carson. Again I don't have a lot of time. What do you want?"
"Well Roxy Rocket gave me your address. She said you might have some honest work."
"I don't know about honest. Take a look at the pile of pamphlets next to you," she invited. Flipping through them Otis saw hateful cartoons of Jews headed by swastikas and disrespectful depictions of the prophet Muhammad mixed with others portraying every negative stereotype he could imagine.
"Do you make these?" he asked surprised.
"That's right. There are a million different names on them but it's always me. I write speeches for liberals, conservatives, libertarians, socialists, communists, and fascists alike. Politics alone could fill up my day but I don't stop there. I've done antivaxers stuff, conspiracy zeitgeist work, plus the religious stuff like seventh day Adventists and Mormons. I've done cartoons and horoscopes and plays even marketing. Somebody pays me to say it then the next guy comes along and pays me to unsay it."
"So what do you believe?" Otis asked.
"I believe bills need paid and one piece of work begets the next. I believe in job security. People make their own truth and nothing you do can ever really change it. On the other hand things don't always stay the same. The passage of time occurs not like a line drawn on a piece of paper rather similar to the wavelength of a light particle."
"So you don't have any work then? I'm just trying to make some money," he explained as Judy peeked over his shoulder uncharacteristically shy.
"Hold on now. I didn't say that. There is something," she stated removing a magazine from a drawer, "I'm self-publishing a magazine that I created for me. Something I always wanted to do. I need a team to distribute it. Think you could get some people together to deliver them?"
"I could definitely get this out to the subscribers," Otis declared confidently, "only…it's not like racial propaganda or anything, is it?"
"What? Of course not! It's about costume jewelry," Annie stated giving him an address list and drop point for the magazines, "Once a week they go out on Wednesday mornings. This is a small advance not for you. Make sure that little girl gets fed."
"How do you know she's a girl?" Otis wondered.
"Am I wrong?"
"No," he admitted.
"Then don't ask questions," she insisted diving back into the work before her. Hesitantly Otis stood there wondering how to bring up the other subject.
"Yes, what is it now?" she demanded.
"On our way up here we were attacked by a giant man bat…"
"Oh yes, that's Kirk. I had the signal made to attract him and keep him close to the house," Annie explained uncovering a nondescript metal box. She flipped the only switch on it.
"That should clear him out," she stated.
"I-I just wanted to say thanks. Thank you so much for the opportunity," Otis gushed graciously.
"Don't mention it, kid."
"My name is Otis by the way."
"That's good for you," she mumbled already a long way away in her manuscript, "Good for you."
Saturday-
"Give us the baby Otis!" Black Spider called through the echoing sewers as Otis hid in a small alcove next to an electrical box. Sweat ran down his forehead and he clutched Judy tightly to his chest.
"You can't take care of a baby. You're some freak who lives in a sewer," Nobody called behind his partner, "Give it to us now and we'll let you live." They caught up to him leaving Grace's apartment building that evening. Dinner went well but she and Otis got into a quiet disagreement on him taking care of a child in the sewers. Otis knew she wasn't wrong but refused her offer to stay at her place. Judy was his responsibility and he felt like he needed to do it on his own.
On the way home he walked into an ambush by Black Spider and Nobody two vicious vigilantes who had taken up with SECURE. As trackers or hounds they hunted fugitives as well as kids like the woman at the orphanage told him about earlier. Otis sprinted through the back of a diner to shake them still surprisingly quick despite the baby in his arms. Following close behind they fired indiscriminately through the staff and customers. If that beat cop hadn't stumbled into their rampage and returned fire Otis never would have made an escape.
"He's got to be close," Nobody whispered, "Head down that way and see if you can flush him out." Otis heard footsteps separating between the pattering of water drops. So far Judy hadn't cried or fussed since the action began instead she seemed enraptured by the gunfire and running. To his left Otis noticed a skinny rat crawling across a pipe above watching them. His name was Quixote and he happened to chance upon Otis and the baby in need. Otis shushed him with a finger and the rat took off to find help.
"Hey, I might have found something," Black Spider shouted farther down the tunnel and Otis knew it was now or never. Stealthily he snuck from the alcove towards a side access he remembered. He nearly made it before Nobody spotted him and fired at them. The gunshots deafened them in the reverberating emptiness and Judy finally began to howl. At that point the chase truly began.
Despite the speed of the hunters and the extra weight of the child Otis more than made up for it with his deep knowledge of every nook, cranny, and shortcut his environment had to offer. Multiple times they closed in only for Otis to double back through a hole they couldn't fit through forcing them to retrace their steps. The entire chase he continually fled north back towards their home. Every now and then he looked down at Judy tucked against his chest and knew their time had finally come to an end.
"Either way, it's over," he thought, "I can't keep you safe. They'll never stop chasing us even if we make it out of this. You can't stay with me. I'm not fit to be anyone's parent just like everyone said. All I want is the best for you but I'll never get it together. At least I can promise to find you someplace safe. There has to be someone, somewhere who can take care of you and love you like I do. There's nothing I want more than for you to be safe.
I love you little Judy. You never deserved any of the crap life gave you but you always smile anyway. You make everyone smile. Almost home now for the last time. If he's not here we're in big trouble." Otis slipped into and through their comfy room to the abandoned overflow. Sure enough Solomon Grundy sat against the back wall looking bored but lit up when he noticed Judy.
"Tuesday!" he greeted and she reached for him but Otis held her fast.
"Grundy they're coming. They want to take Judy, I mean Tuesday," Otis explained frantically but Grundy didn't seem to understand. He wanted to play with the baby as Nobody entered hailing his partner.
"They're in here!" he shouted and Black Spider sauntered in after him gun in hand. Grundy looked at Otis confused. Quickly thinking of how to describe the situation he used Grundy's own language to drive the point home.
"Tuesday," Otis pointed at the baby, "Buried on Sunday." Grundy growled as Otis pointed at the pursuers. Something seemed to click in Grundy's mind, and he stepped between them snarling.
"Stay out of this, Grundy! It's got nothing to do with you!" Nobody objected then commented to his partner, "We need to fall back now." Black Spider was way ahead of him and was halfway to the exit when he stopped at the sound of rumbling thunder rolling down the sewers. It rang out like a thousand drumrolls that never stopped. They rounded the corner like one fluid mass consisting of every rat living in the sewers and more. Blanketing the ground like organic, shag carpet they swept into the room.
"Oh hell!" Black Spider screamed firing uselessly at the ground as Nobody backed into him unaware. Grundy picked Nobody up by an arm dangling his thigh in front of his face. With one forceful chomp he bit the man's leg off and blood squirted from the stump. His scream was terrible but it couldn't compare to Black Spider's pain. Swarming the rats clipped his heels forcing him to the ground and then shredded his uniform in seconds.
Black Spider died a death by a thousand bites as Grundy unceremoniously removed Nobody's head from his shoulders. In moments one was in pieces and the other was devoured to the bone. Throughout the slaughter Otis felt such shock he realized he forgot to cover Judy's eyes who watched with a strange solemnity. Finally she turned to Otis and laid her small hand against his cheek.
"Sunday," she explained but Otis just frowned.
Sunday-
Otis watched Judy in the arms of the old woman named Ma Gunn. The baby flicked Ma's droopy earlobe and giggled. After another visit with Roxy, Otis took her address to see if she might help. There weren't many options left. Kids flocked around to get a look at the new addition to the underground foster home. Graciously Ma Gunn agreed to take custody of Judy and try to find her a proper home free of rats and undead monsters.
"You sure you want to do this?" Ma asked as he prepared to leave.
"I'm sure. She deserves better than I can offer. Why?" he wondered.
"Well I've been doing this awhile. I seen a lot of kids come and go but not many have been in this good of shape. Usually they're dirty, bruised, and hungry but this one's happy and healthy. You did a good job on her."
"Thanks but it was mostly her. She's a great baby and easy to love. Please take care of her," Otis pleaded, "I've got to get going. I've missed a bunch of meetings for the Militia and from what I hear my instructor's pretty pissed." He kissed Judy on the forehead fighting back tears.
"Bye honey. Be g-good and be happy. I'll miss you so much," he said clearly struggling.
"Say bye to Otis," Ma encouraged but Judy looked at her not understanding. Otis laughed and shook his head.
"It's funny. She knows Grundy and Roxy and even Man Bat, but she never learned my name," he laughed again but his heart ached. Before he could turn away Judy reached out towards him and proved just how much she really knew.
"Dada," she called trying to get to him and everything inside him came crashing down. Closing his eyes the tears flooded behind his lids, and he realized that baby knew him better than even he did. There was no walking away from what they had, and he was a fool to ever think it possible. Wiping his eyes on his shirt sleeve he looked to Ma Gunn who smiled warmly.
"They'll do that," she commented.
"I'll be back for her at six," Otis answered.