I swayed my hips, wordlessly mouthing the lyrics as the tune controlled my body.
"Don't mind us we're just spilling our guts-
If this is love I don't want to be loved
You pollute the room with a filthy tongue
Watch me choke it down so I can spit it up."
Fuck Ryan. That's what Amanda had said. Just literally but not literally.I was strong, I was tough, and I was going to prove that our breakup meant absolutely nothing. Doing the best after a split was definitely a contest and I was going to win.
Strutting into my bathroom I tousled my black hair, adjusting the part so you could still see the bright blue streak. I smeared bright red lipstick on. I was going to look hot. I was going to look so hot, that Ryan would see me, grovel for forgiveness, and I would say no. Probably. If he asked… NO! I'd say no.
"HONEY!" my mom screamed. It wasn't an angry scream, more of a we-live-in-downtown-Gotham-and-you-can-hear-literally-nothing scream.
"Yeah?" I took the crammed staircase two and a time, hopping into the tiny kitchen.
"I'm baking a cake for book club and they're coming in half an hour and I need one more egg and I can't leave the cake and-" but she said it so quickly and in such a panic it was like one enormous word.
"Wait… what? What do you need?" I asked, placing a hand on my hip.
"An egg. One egg. Here, I have a ten. Get one of the little four packs," she grabbed her purse off the chair, fishing around for the acclaimed bill.
"Umm, I'd really rather not…" I murmured, glancing at the time on the microwave. It was 5:45, and being that we had no car, it'd definitely be dark before I got home.
"Just take the main road, you'll be safe," she assured me, "What's on your lips?"
"Uh, lipstick?" I murmured.
"I swear to god… and you're worried about predators?! You're sixteen, who are you trying to seduce, the bums?!" she shook her head as if I'd already sold my body, a thing that honestly isn't that uncommon under Gotham's youth.
"No one!" I wrinkled my nose, "I just like it," not because I need a confidence boost and I'm insecure nope nope nope.
"Whatever, just- here," she tucked the bill into my hand, "And hon?" I turned, my hand hovering over the doorknob, "Stay safe."
"Love you!" I kissed her cheek, before sliding out of our cozy abode, a place full of warm knit quilts that never stopped smelling like soup, into the streets of Downtown Gotham. I honestly must have been as mad as some of the characters you see walking around.
Power walking down the sidewalk, I partook in the local tradition of avoiding eye contact with literally everyone. My apartment emptied into an alley, so it was a relief to get back on the main street. I turned a corner and took about four steps before walking directly into a thick strip of caution tape, nearly tumbling over completely. An enormous crater yawned smack dab in the middle of the road, almost as if something had blown up.
Exactly as if something had blown up.
The main road was no longer an option. I considered going home then and there, but my poor mother was worried sick over cake and I'd rather brave the streets then let her fret alone.
Biting my lip I turned around, stepping into the nearest side street. I was at fifth and main, so the marketplace was only seventeen blocks away. If I just kept my head down and hurried as fast as I could…
An enormous crash interrupted my thought. Glass tinkled around me like rain, shattering on the pavement below. I screamed, covering my head and the back of my neck with my arms. Running under the fire escape I hesitantly peered out.
Batman, in all his black armored glory, flung himself out the third story window, some goon in his gloved grip. They tumbled onto the balcony, rolling this way and that. I watched in a stunned silence, gazing through the breaks in the grating. Batman gripped the man's shirt, pushing him against the railing.
"WHERE ARE THE REST OF THE EXPLOSIVES?" his voice was like gravel. The man turned in fear and I caught a glimpse of a rubber clown mask. One of the Joker's thugs.
"I- I don't know! Honestly! He just sent me to plant the first ones I sweAREeeEE ee EE!" he was tossed over the side, the ground rushing forward to quickly to comprehend. The blur of a man lingered a couple feet above my head before being yanked up again.
"WHERE ARE THEY!?"
"FINE! Fine I'll tell you!" his voice was a panicked rasp, "They're- right- here!" I took a moment to comprehend what he was saying before the wall blew apart, shards of rubble, brick, and who knows what else crumbling down the side of the building. A wave of heat hit like a fist, throwing me into the middle of the alley. A bit disoriented but unharmed I blinked, waving smoke out of my eyes. Coughing I slipped onto my stomach, nestling my chin into my chest. I could have died… over an egg. An egg! I almost laughed out loud. Haha Gotham you silly girl, you almost got me again. I started to struggle to my feet when a low creaking blanketed over the side street. Confused, I listened harder, trying to decipher the undead moan. Realization hit like a brick. I whipped around as the fire escape gave one final shake, before slowly tilting towards me. I tried to get up but glass still covered the ground like freshly fallen snow, and my hand immediately gave out under me as the shards dug in.
My chest tightened as a series of twangs filled the air, rapid fire one after the other. The supports snapped and before I could scream a mass of metal came crashing down.
She's not dead- I promise. This is just the first misstep in a big misadventure for this mischievous girl. I lied- she's not mischievous I just wanted another mis word. I'm thinking maybe 10 chapters, but I haven't quite mapped it all out yet. I love you, you're beautiful! Until next chapter,
Zenith Aquilla