"What are those?" Beth asked when she came back down. Her headache was gone, and she had removed the bandage on her throat. She was in the living room, looking questioningly at Jonathan, who was sitting at the ragged couch and searching through folders.
"Work. I would appreciate the quiet while I sort through these. There's food in the kitchen..." he mumbled, and pushed his glasses back up his nose. He seemed agitated, and Beth didn't want to mess with him.
"Alright." Keeping her mouth shut, Bethany decided to roam the small decrepit house and find anything interesting. Being in the same place as the Scarecrow, there had to be something fun to find.
About an hour later, however, she was disappointed at the fact that all she found was more empty rooms. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an attic. She thought she would at least find something in the cramped attic, but all that was found was empty cardboard boxes and mothballs.
"Uuuuugh..." she walked aimlessly and quietly, wishing sorely that she had a bucket of paint to use to decorate the dull walls. After going back to her bedroom, she lay on the floor and stared at the ceiling, something she did when she still lived with her family.
Her family...
Beth shook her head to keep from thinking of them. She turned onto her side and looked under the bed. A dusty, rectangular bump on the floor made her raise her eyebrows. Rolling over on her stomach, she scooted under the bed and felt the object then pulled it over to her.
It was book, and the pictureless cover read 'Grimm's Fairy Tales'. She was able to read that much at least. She opened the book and leafed through the thin pages, finding well drawn pictures here and there. She closed the book and walked out of her room and downstairs into the living room. She quietly sat at a small cushioned chair some feet from where Jonathan sat.
She opened the book to it's first story, and began to attempt to read. She was able to get some of it. The 'and's and 'for's and other words like that were simple. But it seemed that once a word hit more than two syllables, she lost her ability quickly. She sighed, and made a pouty face at the pages. She felt Jonathan looking at her.
When she finally heard him drop his folder and give a subtle sigh of aggravation, she wondered if it was a good idea to attempt this near him.
"You're rather distracting when you make faces like that..." Jonathan said. Beth gulped. She looked up at him and smiled.
"Sorry."
"Yes, well...what is it you are reading?" he asked.
"I'm attempting to read Grimm's Fairy Tales." she said, and showed him the old cover. He frowned.
"Where did you get that?"
"Under the bed. It was hiding." she said.
"How far have you gotten?"
"Once upon a time...that's it." she said.
"Oh, bother..." he took off his glasses and rubbed his face. "Absolutely atrocious..." Beth didn't know what 'atrocious' meant, but she figured it meant something bad, by Jonathan's tone.
"Hey, it's not my fault-"
"I know, I know." he raised his hands to stop her. "It doesn't stop the fact that it is horrible for a tween to have no ability to read..."
"I can read some..." Beth muttered, and looked at her book with a twinge of anger on her pouty face.
"'Some' is not adequate."
"Geez, Doc, I can barely understand your crazy long words!" she said loudly. 'Atrocious', 'adequate', all these words confused her. Jonathan's eyes hooded. She would be a piece of work.
"Fine..." he said, and stood up. He walked over and took the book from her. He wiped some dust from it and flipped through the pages, snapping it shut when he finished his inspection. "This book has many long words that you most likely wouldn't understand even if you could read them. Tomorrow you will be given proper reading material to begin with, alright?" he said. Beth reached up and took the book back.
"Yeah, okay, but I'm keeping this one. I like it."
"You don't even know what it contains."
"It contains fairy tales..." Beth said, and hugged the book to her chest. Jonathan sighed,
"Yes, of course it does. I need to get back to work-"
"Hold on!" Beth yelled. Jonathan stopped, and waited for her to speak. "Can you read to me?" she asked slowly, gauging Jonathan's reaction.
"What?" Jonathan couldn't believe this child's boldness.
"Read to me, doc. I never read a fairy tale." she said. Jonathan cocked an eyebrow at this.
"Does Cinderella ring a small bell in your brain?"
"No."
"Beauty and the Beast?"
"No."
"The Wizard of Oz?"
"No."
"Disney Land?"
"Noooo."
"Oh, Jesus...alright, I suppose at least one ridiculous tale wouldn't hurt. But only one story." he said, and took the book from her. He walked back to the couch and sat roughly down, eyeing the book almost menacingly. Beth made herself comfortable in the chair and waited for him. He searched the contents for the shortest story he could find. His eyes finally rested on one of suitable length.
"Whatcha gonna read?" Beth asked.
"Little Red Cap." he said. Beth scrunched her face.
"I don't get it." she said. "What's a little red cap?"
"It's what the girl is called in this story." he said.
"That's stupid."
"That's how it goes, now hush, or you won't hear the story."
"Alrighty, then."
Jonathan gave her one last look before beginning the story.
"It ATE her?" Beth yelled after a few minutes of his reading.
"Well, yes."
"Gross! Old people probably taste like prunes or something!"
"Quiet, so I may finish."
"Yech, fine."
When Jonathan finally finished the story, Beth's eyes seemed like they would pop out of her skull.
"He killed it?" she asked quietly. He nodded.
"And saved Little Red Cap and her grandmother. Yes."
"Well, that's just mean. It was only hungry..." she said. Jonathan was surprised by this answer.
"Sorry?"
"It was hungry, and granny and Red looked yummy. If my only diet was rabbits and stuff, I would want to change it up, to." she said.
"Interesting logic. Usually a child would just be happy the wolf was gone and that the heroin was rescued."
"No fun if the hero wins every time..." she said, and yawned. Jonathan checked his watch.
"Yes, it's getting late. You need sleep, and I need to leave." he said, and stood.
"Wait. You're leaving?" she asked. She began to panic. She would be left alone in this creepy place?
"Only for the night. I'll be back before morning." he said. "Now go to bed."
"Fine..." Beth took the book from him, and walked up the stairs to her bedroom. She took off the pants and folded them, then placed them on her night stand. The large shirt was now officially a night gown. Once in bed, she turned on the little lamp and opened the book again. She found Little Red Cap in contents, and flipped to the story. Looking at the words, Beth tried to remember what Jonathan had read them out to be earlier. After a few minutes, she finally gave up and rested it on the nightstand. She left the light on and pulled the covers up to her chin.
In minutes she was asleep.
….
In the nightmare she was being chased by a large, gangly wolf, and it eventually took her into its jaws. She wasn't eaten, though, and the wolf only grabbed her by her red jacket and ran through the woods with her hanging from its mouth. From the side she saw a shadow moving quickly, keeping up with them even though the wolf ran quickly and dodged any obstacles. The wolf was eventually brought to a dead-end, and dropped Beth to the cold ground to face the shadow.
The shadow emerged from the many branches, dressed in all black, and carrying a large axe. The woodsman grinned with large yellow teeth, and charged at the wolf. The wolf fought, but was eventually thrown to the ground in a heap, and the woodsman swiftly ended the creature's life with one blow of the axes sharp blade.
Beth began to cry, and the woodsman turned to her, blood spattered on his shadowed face and yellow teeth. He began to walk toward her, raising his axe over his large shoulders...
Beth woke up.
Her heart was racing, and sweat covered her brow. The light from her lamp was out, and she hurriedly turned it back on. Jonathan must have turned it off while she was sleeping.
Jonathan.
She looked out the window. The sky was still dark, illuminated only by the lights from the main part of the city a few miles away. Quietly, she climbed out of bed and went to the door. She cracked it open, and looked towards the stairs. Light shown from the first floor, and she figured Jonathan was back. She ran to the stairs and down them to the living room. All she found was the lamp that illuminated the space, and no one there.
"Maybe he left it on so he wouldn't get lost when he got back..." she muttered, and sat on the couch. She brought her legs up against her chest and rested her chin on her knees, waiting. She was too scared to go back to sleep, and she wanted to talk just for a few minutes to Jonathan. Granted, he would most likely be really tired when he returned and would probably not want to speak to a child about a simple bad dream, but that was Beth's only option. All she wanted was to hear someone say the ghosts that haunted her dreams weren't real.
"Hey, whozzis?"
Beth froze, hoping the voice that came from behind her was Jonathan's.
But it was too low.
Too gruff.
She slowly turned to see a very muscular man in a black shirt and pants walking towards her. Another one with about the same build walked from the hallway and noticed her as well.
She jumped off of the couch and backed up against the wall. The first one tsked, and kept coming towards her.
"Prolly just an orphan who snuck in here for a rest." the one at the hall said.
"Yeah, I figure. I'll have to knock her out."
"That's mean, Micheal."
"It's gotta be done. He said any intruder and she's an intruder." he said, and picked up Beth by the back of her shirt. "Any intruders are to be dealt with accordingly. Little thing is lucky I don't kill her like he wants."
Beth screamed as he hauled her back to the couch. He smacked her against the head to shut her up. The assault instantly brought back the headache from earlier that day.
"Oooowwww..." she mumbled as tears formed in her eyes. He dropped her on the couch and pointed to a gun that rested on his hip.
"Well don't yell like a banshee, then. If you do that, or make a run for it, you'll get a bullet to the head." he said, and sat on the chair.
"Why did boss send us here anyway?"
"He wanted us to look over things, and keep anyone from entering."
"We coulda been helping with the Batman, though. He was on our tails like white on rice..."
"Boss must have somethin' worth somethin' in here. He's wary of that Bat, so he sent us here to make sure he doesn't stick his nose in anything."
"Still think he should have sent the rookies here, instead. I bet half of them are knocked out and cuffed by now."
Beth, whose hands were resting on her pained head, was paying attention to the whole conversation.
"Who do you work for?" she asked. The two men looked at each other before answering. She was just a kid. She couldn't do anything, right?
"A good Doctor Jonathan Crane." the one in the hall said creepily, as if trying to scare the girl. He walked to the front of her and leaned down close. "Or, when his mask is on..." he paused as if for dramatic effect. "He's known to many as-"
"Scarecrow, yeah..." Beth mumbled, and looked away from him. Slightly disgruntled, he pulled back and frowned.
"Alright smarty." he said, and sat next to her. "What's your reasons for being here anyway?"
Beth considered his question. Jonathan sent them here but didn't mention her to them. He must not have wanted them to know about her...
"Just found a way in and decided to stay for the night..." she lied.
"Well, you made a bad choice kiddo, 'cause now you're gonna face my boss when he gets back, and trust me, he's creepy as hell for a guy that thin. He'll rule out what happens to you."
"Whatever..." Beth muttered, and stared at her knees, faintly wondering if she'd be able to get clothes that fit her soon as she picked at the many folds of her borrowed pants.
"Kid's got moxy." the one named Micheal said, and chuckled.
"Yeah well bravery doesn't keep you alive in this city." the other one said.
"Neither does being scared all the time..." Beth added.
"Kid thinks she's clever." he said. "Why you awake?"
"Bad dream..." Beth said. No point in lying about that. The one next to her smiled.
"Aww, da baby had a bad dweam..." he said with a baby's voice. Beth looked at him with an unimpressed expression.
"If you're trying to insult me, then try a little harder. That was lame..." she said. Micheal laughed.
"She ain't takin' it from you, John." he said. John's face turned a bit red.
"Listen brat, don't you try your smart mouth on me. I'll beat your little ass." he said.
"You most certainly will not."
Beth looked forward to the door toward the new voice. It was open, and Jonathan was leaning on the frame. He was wearing a suit, and the jacket looked almost like a straight jacket, with buckles hanging from the arms. He clenched a burlap mask in one hand, gripping his side painfully with the other. His glasses were missing. The two men jumped from their seats and walked to him.
"You alright, boss?"
"Fine, just worn from running like an idiot across Gotham from that damnable Bat..." he walked in, and Beth noticed a bruise forming on his cheek.
"Dr. Crane, are you-"
"I justsaid I'm fine." he snapped, and Beth shut up. She put her hand in her lap, and looked to the floor, now too afraid to speak. Jonathan saw this and sighed in agitation.
"Looks like you spooked her boss." Micheal said. John scoffed and waved his hand at Beth.
"Kid like that is easy to scare. She'd probly run in fright if she saw a bee in the room." he said, and laughed. Jonathan's hand shot out and grabbed John's shirt, and the thug stopped laughing instantly.
"That 'kid'..." Jonathan said. "Has done things in her life that would make even the sickest of criminals' skin crawl. The things she fears would not include simple bees or spiders. Do not...insult her..." Jonathan released Johns shirt and walked to the couch. He sat down, and leaned against the back. "Thank you for worrying, Bethany.." he said, looking to the ceiling. His grip never loosened on his mask.
Beth was surprised by his last words, and she nodded. "Yeah.."
"Bethany..." Micheal said from his seat. He scanned Bethany's appearance, contemplating. His face finally lit up in shock after a moment. "Jesus...shit..." he said. Jonathan gave a shaky laugh, and John only looked confused.
"What?" John asked. Micheal lifted a finger and pointed at Beth.
"That's the kid that fucked up her whole family. The one on the news. She did some sick shit." Micheal said.
"Language in front of the young lady.." Jonathan said.
"Yes boss. But that's still nuts. Was you lying when you said you found this place on accident?" Micheal asked Bethany. She nodded her face from the sudden attention.
"Dr. Crane found me and took me in for now..." she added the 'for now' just to keep on the safe side. She didn't really believe that Jonathan would keep her here for long. She believed she was just something to pass time with until he became bored. Who was she to argue?
"So she works for you now, eh, boss?" John asked. Jonathan shook his head.
"Simply a recovering patient." he said.
"Recovering patient?" Beth asked in confusion. Jonathan nodded.
"When you're healed and your mentality has regained an amount of its stability, you will be subject to my fear toxin." he said. Beth's eyes widened. So he would use her. Of course he would. She was half expecting it anyway. She sighed and gripped her shirt.
"Okay..."
"You're fine with that, kid?" John asked. Beth nodded once. Micheal did the same, with a sad smile on his face.
"Told you, John; Kid's got moxy..."