Lucky Night
By Blodeuedd
I don't ordinarily believe in luck. Spend your life complaining about the things you've missed out on and the hard times you've seen and nothing's going to happen. No pot of gold, no instant happiness. It's not that simple.
Why would a guy like me believe in luck anyways? It's always been tough. I was born in the Narrows, like half this stinking city. All my life I was living off of cheap stale crackers and smelly water. My brother died in a gang fight when I was twelve or something. My mother wasn't the same after that. She up and left when I turned sixteen. My dad drank too much and worked too little. It's nothing you haven't heard before. There are a million people like me. I've spent every day trying to get by. Always moving, because if there's anything I know it's that: stop moving, you die. Don't sit still waiting around for luck. It's a simple lesson, but you'd be surprised how many people are tricked into waiting.
Yeah, I've killed my share of people. Here's the thing: killing is nothing. People like you get shocked to hear it, but killing is nothing. People die all the time. Don't give me that funny look. If making people die earns you some pay, what's the big deal? No skin off my bones, pal.
Anyways, I didn't believe in luck until tonight. It started like every other night around here. A little wet, a little damp. Things have been a bit rough lately. My landlord was getting on my case about my rent. Friends were coming back to me asking for money. I was strapped for cash and looking for work. But there was nobody in the alleys to work for or make work of.
Then I see them walking towards me, them three.
I can tell they're rich, right, just like that. I can tell because they look like nobody, nobody, I've seen down here. All dressed up like angels in hell. Tall guy in a tuxedo, pretty dame in a gown wearing pearls. Even their little guy in a tux with his hair slicked back.
It's like they'd fell out of heaven, right at my feet. Like someone up there knew I needed it. They didn't need their money. I did.
I've conducted a fair number of stickups in my life. It's another thing that comes with living like I do. No one else was around, so I went up to them and pulled out my gun. I'm pretty sure the tall could've taken me, he looked strong, but he didn't. That's when I knew something was up.
The guy was getting out his wallet like anyone else, but then he drops it. When he dropped it, I panicked. He was stalling, waiting for someone to come down the alley.
Better him dead than me in jail. So I shot him. I didn't even stop to think. My trigger finger just twitched. My heart was going like a drum, faster than hell, but like I said, it's a lucky night. He went down like a sack of cement.
The dame went crazy then, and wouldn't listen. Had to shoot her too, naturally. Come on. Women are people too, they died. She would have made noise. She would have screamed.
I gathered up my winnings. Most people down here just have a couple of dollars on them, maybe some booze or a bit of food. But these guys were rolling in it. His wallet was full of cash and cards and her necklace was made out of real pearl. Really nice pickings.
This was a few hours ago, and I still can't believe it. I'm a rich man now. Your next drink's on me, buddy. I could buy every drink in the place if I wanted.
What? What about the kid? Oh. Left him alive. He wasn't making a sound. Not a peep. It would have been a waste of a good bullet to kill him. Didn't have anything on him, anyways, like his folks did. He was just quiet as the dead, watching it all with those big old eyes of his.
Why? You think he's going to come after me? That little squirt of a kid?
That's a laugh.
The End
Author's Note:
I got the actual idea for this story while watching Batman Begins, but I didn't really work hard to make it exactly similar to the movie. There may be a few inconsistencies.
Reviews, reviews, my kingdom for reviews. If you liked Lucky Night, check out my other Batman-inspired fanfic, Dark My Light. Ok, it's about Jonathan Crane, just like a million other stories out there, but I think it's worth a read if you like this.
Thanks,
Blodeuedd