Disclaimer: I do not own Batman.
Jonathan writhed as he lay under the covers, a shriek ripping from the confines of his throat. He was asleep but even then, he was tormented by the things that wracked his mind. Day in and day out, his mind was flooded with the disturbing images that he could use against himself and others. There was no escaping the things that lived in the confines of your mind.
And in the wake of his nightmare, as a bead of sweat rolled down his face, as another scream tore from his mouth, Jonathan flung himself from his bed. He landed with a thump on the floor, the frail house shaking slightly under the sudden impact. He was oblivious to everything going on around him. He was too far deep in his nightmare to wake up.
Monster.
The word had haunted his thoughts every thought ever since it began. Jonathan knew that it described him and everything he stood for. He knew it was a title that could not easily be erased. Nobody but Jonathan knew what was going on. But they would find out. Soon enough he would burst, and every dream, every nightmare, every fear would come like lava, covering everything and everyone around him. It was inescapable, inevitable. There was no stopping it. He was like a ticking time bomb, a danger to everyone around him, a danger to himself.
The heavy footsteps were what what awoke him, startling him from his deep sleep. It was the middle of the night and he knew that it was his screams that woke her up. And he knew that he'd have hell to pay for it, too. The sweat poured down as he attempted to untangle himself from his sheets. After, he lay on the floor and awaited his punishment. As the footsteps got closer, he looked up and stared.
His great grandmother stood at the doorway, an evil scowl on her face.
Monster.
A/N: Heys, I'm back! This is the prequel to Don't You Love Me? And this will follow Jonathan through his high school years up until Vera was born.
Hope you're as excited as I am! Until next time! :)
-Harley