A/N: okay so I've had this idea for a while and wanted to try something new, enjoy and possibly review!


Chapter one: Running

Running, its all I seem to do anymore. The sensation of ponding feet below me is one I have grown accustomed to. Ever since the day anyway, the day my life was taken away from me. I remember the sound of their bones crunching against the rock hard ground. Their fear filled screams...and my mother calling my name with her last breath. The tears from the memory spring to my eyes, but over the years I have learnt to control them. I've learnt that no one would care even if I couldn't. I learnt that one at that stupid Juvenile 'care' centre. The other boys would jeer about my parents getting killed...they said it was my fault. I would Go to my room and cry but no one would give a damn...so I ran. I ran away from the taunting, I ran from the cruel faces of those who didn't care, I ran from the life of Richard John Grayson, and into a new role. I became the shadow in the dark alley, the one you walked past when your bag got stolen, the only person you wouldn't notice. I became a shadow. But not any old shadow, I became the running shadow...I became shade.

I wander the streets of Gotham day after day, stealing to keep myself surviving. The only time I stop walking is when I'm running. And today was one of those Running days. It started routinely. I strolled Into Wayne memorial park. Its one of those unnaturally hot nights, yet im still clad in my black hoodie, black skinny jeans (with a wallet chain hanging to one side) and black baseball boots. Most 8 year olds aren't out at midnight...but I'm not most 8 year olds. I walk past a bunch of drunk brain-dead bimbos. I'm about to walk past when I notice one of them has dropped their clutch bag. I pick it up, empty it and jog over. "excuse me miss, you dropped this." "thank you kid... now piss off!" I run off before she notices her moneys gone. I feel the wind blowing through my hair, Tonight is a perfect night, its a night I can blend into. It's a shades night.


I look at the clock on The Thomas Wayne memorial clock tower. 2am. I'm beginning to get sleepy. I shouldn't be sleepy but I am. I'm an 8 year old, on top of a building, in the rain (even when its hot in this town it rains), at 2am. How can I sleep? I suppose I should go home, oh wait I don't have one. I move away from the ledge and move to a section of the roof where I have a little shelter and begin to count my newly made money. "$150, $170, $200, $250..." Before I can count any higher a low rumbling voice erupts behind me. "quite a haul you have there, shame you've got to give it back to me". I turn around sharply to look at the owner of the voice. He's tall, dressed in black...he looks like a bat, but at the same time a man. I have it, a Batman! "And how d'ya work that one out, mister?" He seems to glare at me, but I can't really tell behind the white, lenses "I don't know who you are but what I do know is that your just a child...and you're not skilled enough to get away from me". Oh I like this game, I was always good at tag! "Wanna bet?" I throw a flying kick into his chest knocking him backwards, and get to the other side of the building via three cartwheels and a handspring. I hear a shout behind me. I look back to where the noise came from and have a sudden realisation. Teddy. I have to make a decision... or do I? I run towards the black clad figure and jump up flipping over my advisory. I Land with my hands on my rucksack. When it is firmly in my grasp I flip onto the ledge. As fast as I can I pull My wallet chain off my jeans. "Bye bye mister" I wave at him, and jump holding on to the chain and use it as a kind of zip-wire to the ground. I jump down Running off letting a cackle fly back into the air as I disappear into the night. He never had a chance of catching me.


I Managed to find a doorway a little while back. It's not much but it protects me from the harsh, unrelenting rain. I pull the blanket my mother wrapped me in when I was a baby from my rucksack and wrap it round myself, I then pull Teddy out. He's been my only friend since the day I was born. He's missing an ear and a button eye...but it doesn't matter, because he stays bye me. "Don't worry Teddy" I lay down looking up at the crescent moon and smile gently, before resting my head gently on teddies and closing my eyes. "No more running today".