A/N: So, this is my sister's one-shot story, which she very kindly let me post (thankyou muchly Stacey!) I think it's really good for a 10 year old, now let's see what everyone else thinks...
Rachel's POV. BTW, she doesn't know Bruce is Batman. So on, so forth...
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I look up and see the lights spinning off the edge of a metal beam pole, dancing in the glow cast by the light of the moon. I don't turn around. That's where the bodies are.
I hear the muttering of voices that are probably whispers in the wind but pound like ear-splitting drums inside my head. As my vision clears, my memory falters. I don't want to remember the images of torture.
I somehow force myself to stare around, looking at the figures, strung up to the wall, shrouded by darkness. I am happy I cannot see their faces. There is only one particular face I am looking for.
And then I see him.
The devil himself, standing in front of me. It's hard to tell in this darkness if he is smiling or not, for the red scars that adorn his cheeks are carved in the way of a smile. They zigzag up his unnaturally pale face, stopping short of the drooping lines of eye shadow that is applied above and beneath his soulless black eyes. The red lips open.
"Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. It seems that you are too young to die...but as you can see I am not a merciful person. Observe..."
He waves a gloved hand at the bodies behind me, but I won't look. I am filled with rage and hate for this monster.
"How could you?" I choke through teeth clenched tightly. "Kill all these people...?"
The demon gives a cackling shriek of laughter. "I can't help it!" he wheezes between paroxysms of dreadful giggles. "It's in my nature!"
I am totally without hope. Just let him kill me, and be done, I think. One more corpse to join the collection.
"Well, it's in my nature to fight you!" A hoarse, deep voice sounds from behind the Joker. He whirls to face his opponent.
I cannot watch. The invisible, harsh voiced figure takes the Devil in his arms, almost as if he were going to kiss him. He breaks the moment with a loud thump as his fist connects with the Joker's jaw.
I turn on my heel and sprint off, unable to see where I am going, trying to get away from these two nightmare creatures.
I run into something hard and cold. At first I think it is brick. But when a ray of light, presumably from a torch, comes my way, I realise what I've run into.
The bodies. I give a scream so loud it hurts my ears. I stumble away from the dead, but only succeed in falling flat on my face.
There is a groan from behind me. He's woken up! Will I never escape from this?
Suddenly the ground disappears beneath my feet, and I'm falling. I must have run off the edge of the building. I cannot scream, my terror will not help me. But I want to scream. I want to scream until I cough up my lungs. So I do.
And then I feel arms close around me, hard but warm. And I'm soaring, soaring in the arms of angels, away from the scene of destruction behind me, far below.
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As we make our way to freedom, the clouds passing us by turn black and stormy. I smell rain in the air. The person carrying me breathes slowly in and out, it calms me. I close my eyes.
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Waking from my brief sleep, I notice we are about to crash through a waterfall! "Are you suicidal?" I scream. My saviour doesn't answer me, just folds his black cape around my body, shielding me. The water gushes over us; I feel its weight, but only vaguely.
I realise my eyes are closed, I open them slowly. We are in a huge cave, dimly lit, with water dripping from the walls and bats flying at the top of the rocky cave. It is scary, but oddly comforting.
Suddenly I realise there's a man standing behind us. I turn to face him before I truly see the face of the man who saved me.
The man standing before us is dressed in a scientist's coat, his grey and white hair looks like cotton buds. I long to touch it, to see if it feels as strange as it looks.
"Ah, Batman." The cotton man says with a smile crinkling the edges of his dark eyes.
Batman?
"Batman!" I exclaim, whirling to face the man in the cape and cowl. "You're Batman! Oh my God, how come I never realise the most obvious things-"
"Rachel!" The Batman interrupted me in a harsh, rasping voice. "You must be in shock, you almost fell to your death, the Joker terrorized you."
But I only realise one thing. "How do you know my name?"
"I know everyone's names." Batman replied dully. "Everyone's."
His voice was oddly familiar. I tried unsuccessfully to analyse it.
"Let's get you back home, Miss Dawes." The cotton head man says kindly, appraising me out of deep set brown eyes. "You've had quite an ordeal."
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Back at home, I sit in my armchair, watching TV. Nothing good is on. I flick through endless channels, trying to find something I'm interested in. As I watch the different colours fade and disappear I come at last to the news channel. I gasp in shock and listen closely.
I'm Mike Engel, from Gotham Tonight. Bystanders caught exclusive footage of the scene today. Batman, Gotham City's caped crusader, was reportedly dying after notorious murderer and psychopath calling himself the Joker, gunned him down on top of Wayne Tower. Witnesses presume the lift is broken, and no one can get up. Policemen are sending helicopters, but all fear it will be too late-
I switch the television off. Batman is dying and no one is helping? I race to the phone and start dialling, fingers flying over the buttons.
"Pickuppickuppickup!"
"Hello?" A startled, out of breath voice answered.
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Aaaaand CUT! My sister created an O.C named Ginger. She's not in it much but just wanted you to know in case you get confused. Read on...
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"Is that you, Ginger?" I ask of my red-headed friend.
"Yes. Was there a particular reason you called?"
My throat tightens. "Yeah, but not over the phone. Meet me outside Wayne Tower in five minutes."
I hang up the phone with a shaking hand. Batman can't die. We need him! And I think I know him.
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As I stand in the rain you can't tell I am crying, but even so I wipe away the invisible tears when the car door slams.
"Rachel. Is that you?"
"Yes." I reply in a melancholy voice. As my friend rushes over to my side, I bury my face in her sweet smelling auburn hair.
"Rachel, what in hell happened to you? Why are you crying?"
"I don't know." I admit. "It's silly to be crying over Batman, but I just feel so attached to him and-"
As I started to cry once more, I felt a warm hand rub my back, and my tears dried up. "Oh Ginger, how come I am a blasted damsel in distress all the time. I could be helping Batman, I'm sure he is not dead yet. We have to go! NOW!"
Ginger threw her hands in the air in panicked exasperation. "Why? You don't even know him!" She narrowed her eyes suddenly. "Do you?" She asked me suspiciously.
"I-I don't know who is behind the mask, but I tell you, I know him, Ginger! Please, trust me on this."
She hesitates, and then rolls her pale blue eyes. "OK. But how in the bloody hell are we going to get up that skyscraper?"
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As we look up at Wayne Tower's sides, I spy a rusty ladder. It is completely blended into the side of the alley wall, no wonder no one could see it. But Bruce Wayne is my friend, and I have been to Wayne Enterprises thousands of times.
I just pray to God the ladder holds us up. It is so old. We begin climbing.
A huge, creaking groan emanates from the ladder. It shakes uncontrollably, like a person in a fit. We edge up a bit higher. We are one storey above the ground.
"I can't do this!" Ginger screams from below me. "Go, Rachel!"
And I do. I climb as fast as I can, not giving the ladder a chance to throw me off. But I tire quickly. I am not superhuman like the person I'm trying to save. I glance down. That was a mistake.
I feel like throwing up when I realise I'm twenty storeys above ground. Twenty more to go. The thought makes my head spin, and I almost lose my grip. But somehow, I manage to hang on. I continue climbing.
37th storey, 38th storey, 39th! I feel triumph swell in my chest, but suddenly-the ladder snaps!
"HELP MEEEEEE!" I scream as I begin to fall. If only Batman could save me now.
My thoughts are answered with a strong sense of déjà-vu as a strong arm wraps around me. And I'm flying, but this time, I know who it is....
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As I am once again back at my boring home, reassured in my safety, Batman steps through the door and takes off his mask. I was shocked a little, but not surprised to see the familiar, handsome face.
"I thought I was meant to be the one saving you." I joke, smiling softly at my twice-saviour.
Bruce Wayne smirked at me. "Well, aren't girls supposed to be damsels in distress?"
"Maybe, maybe not."
We both looked at each other simultaneously, and we knew what each other was thinking.
Batman has returned.
THE END
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A/N: Even though I'm not the author, this is still an author note. Please review! It would make us very happy to hear from you.