"You can curse me,
You can curse God,
And you can curse Death,
But the only one you can
Really blame is yourself."
-The Shadow.
II
Death could see her, dangling there so helplessly in the dark. It only took a second… as Bruce touched her lips, and the thread broke sending Selina tumbling into the black without a sound.
Even as he felt her gone Bruce stayed for a second with his lips still against hers. He remained tangled in the mess that he had seemingly created. Feeling like it was stupid because he wanted to stay there, and kiss her… he wanted to stay bent on his knees with his lips touching hers, just like their noses and just like their cheeks. Not because he was a young boy that should have been at the age where kissing girls was favourable. Or because it was something that was somehow in his nature to want.
Kissing was something natural, shared between two human beings to show affection… yet Bruce could never really imagine the idea of kissing another person. He couldn't understand being touched in such a way without wanting to draw back. However, he did not get a chance when the strange street girl that was Selina Kyle surprised him and then left him in wonder. He thought of that first kiss when he let her go and even that wasn't enough to fix things. So when he kissed her he stayed because he hoped beyond all belief it would somehow bring her back to him. That somehow a kiss was powerful enough to bring someone back to life. She had died and the job was done. She still did not return even as he kissed her in the silly hope she would kiss him back.
He could swear he felt her move in the last second before he parted. That she flinched just a little… she touched him, placed her hand over his that was lying on her heart. That she breathed just a little… before it all went away. That maybe she had kissed him too. But he knew it was all inside of his head because he wanted to believe it. The truth was, Selina had left as still and quiet as when she was alive.
When he finally pulled away it felt like a lifetime of unmoving. As if he'd been a statue, a gargoyle on top of Gotham's tall buildings. Moving took some time, flexing his shoulders and wiggling his toes from inside his shoes took… effort. There was a moan in the back of his throat that reminded him he was still present, and everything around him was true. He pressed both of his lips together while he rolled his tongue around in his mouth-he was dehydrated. He needed water. His head was almost throbbing, and he could feel the dry tears stuck to his skin. Everybody around him stood frozen, which made time feel like it was standing still.
A huge crack of thunder brought down a long, jagged bolt of lightning from outside the windows. The sound disturbed the still, silhouette figures of the group. However, Death and Bruce reminded still as the windows of the Manor quickly erupted in a harsh, white light. A blazing second shrouding them in blinding white before turning dark again. All eyes meeting at the front entrance where she stood… dressed in clothes and human flesh, bright red lipstick and the most perfect curls of blond anyone ever saw.
"I'm back…" she sang bowing in a small curtsy and flashing her hands. Her fingernails long and sharp-looking like claws. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything… important," she laughed. A long, jolly laugh that was loud and almost… contagious.
"What do you want?" Bruce spit at her with hate. She tilted her head slightly… marvelling at the cherry red glow of Selina's blood perfect on his lips.
"Brucey Boy," It mocked. "Did she taste good?" It clasped womanish hands together at her legs in honest wonder, the slinky black dress hanging above the knees.
"What do you want?" he repeated again with more spite.
"Oh you don't know…" her eyes went wide as she peered around the room, confident as ever knowing the unknown secrets that had yet to be discovered. "He doesn't know," it announced like the secret was obvious. It turned back to Bruce. "You don't know, you didn't tell him…"
Light looked down at Bruce almost ashamed and frightful, he stared back demanding answers she was unwilling to give.
"Tell me what?" he growled.
"Bruce," she put her hands out in front of her to signal she meant no harm. "Selina… she's not-"
"She's not going to Heaven," It interrupted. "She's coming with me."
"What do you mean?" He looked at The Light for an answer.
"I… Selina has a sister," she confessed. "Magdalene."
He peered down at Selina, teary-eyed. His brain hurt as he tried to recall the familiar name from his memories. A short, wavy-haired pale girl from the Church. "Yes," he said. "I know Maggie. She's Selina's sister from the Church-St. Maria's. I met her once on a Sunday afternoon after it had stopped raining. Selina introduced us." The memory came to his mind of the little girl running hurriedly through the pews to see her sister. The gut-wrenching feeling of having to tell her about Selina suddenly hit him in the stomach, turning to cramps that made him hurt. "How does she fit into all this?"
He watched her watch Death, pursing her lips together without a word to him. Her and Death exchanged glances as though they were having a conversation inside the privacy of their own minds. Becoming increasingly frustrated he demanded an answer from Death. "Tell me."
Death looked at him and closed her eyes. "I… I don't know what to say…"
"I see," he blinked, causing a tear to fall from his eyes. The wet drop fell onto his fingers and slipped between skin. "And what do you want?" he asked The Shadow. "Isn't this what you wanted? She's gone now." And too quick for him to realize, The Shadow had somehow made her way across the room without notice and reached out a cleverly disguised hand, hooking her fingers into the quilt on Selina's coat.
Bruce immediately scooped Selina's body tight against his chest and hurled himself backward to where her evil touch was just out of reach. "I won't let you take her," he huffed.
She shook her head, perfect red lips turning into a frown. "Oh, you poor, poor, stupid boy… She already belongs to me." She smiled in amusement. "After all, that was the deal."
He pondered: "What deal?"
She stepped away from him in gentle shock, her lips parting in the smallest "o" before she erupted in the strongest laugh ever. "What deal?" She bellowed high over the thunder and lightning-another stab of electrical charge lighting the inside of the house as she arched herself backwards with such an evil laugh. Bringing fear to all those around her. Bruce shook.
There, while he sat in his quivering fear with Selina shaking involuntarily in his arms, The Shadow so calmly towered over him. Silent just as Selina, she gave him an evil look… filling him and his companions with so much dread they could hardly stand. She kneeled, leaning her face so close that their noses were almost touching.
"Why…" he gasped in tearful breaths. "Why are you doing this…"
She grabbed him so quick-digging her manicured nails into his cheeks and creating indentations in his skin. "You sweet boy," she answered. "I didn't do this to her," his face was shaking so hard, tears and a cold sweat of pure fear-drenched his cheeks and eyes. Then she said the most nightmarish thing: "you did." She released her hands but left him shivering. His breath catching in his throat, and his heartbeat pumping faster and faster in his chest.
His arms still trembling terribly, Selina's body slipped from his embrace as The Shadow pulled her into her arms. "You all did." She looked at the group. "Thank you."
She rose from the scene with a Cheshire grin, turning her back she headed for the door where there was already a huge cluster of rainwater from the entrance.
"No!" Bridgit yelled and broke free of her stand-still. Dropping her weapon she charged for The Shadow's disguise readying to beat with her weak fists despite fear and the identical tears on her face. Karen flew after her wildly, having her hands outstretched as she reached Bridgit just in time; putting herself in-between her and The Shadow. She put her hands on Bridgit's shoulders to calm her-darting her teary eyes back from one figure to the other.
"Bridgit, please no," she pleaded. "She's sorry," she begged The Shadow. "She's sorry, she won't do it again…" her breath came out in ragged gasps.
'She better be," The Shadow replied turning away from them.
Bridgit nearly screamed and put her fists in her hair, ready to yank the last of her raven locks from the scalp. Karen whispered quietly trying to calm her.
The Shadow stopped right at the doorway connecting the outside from them in just as the rainwater painted Its human mask. It turned back to Bruce one last time to see him still kneeling there-exactly like he had when he was twelve and she saw him in the alley. Snivelling and crying, his arms outright in the exact position where Selina had been. She made him look.
"You can curse me, you can curse God, and you can curse Death. But the only one you can really blame is yourself."
She took her leave into the downpour. Disappearing down the driveway and deeper into Gotham's volley of rain, thunder, and lightning. Walking further and further out until she was gone completely from view.