"Oi Mum!" I call out, slamming the door closed behind me before immediately letting out an exasperated sigh. Mum is at work, again. I'm left home by myself, again. And I have to take care of myself. Fucking again. I fling my backpack across the floor before I pick up the remote and turn on the TV. Gotham News. Glancing outside, I notice the dark clouds lurking in the sky. No doubt it's snow. I hate this fucking city. Always with shit weather. But on the bright side, at least in Gotham there are snow days. Maybe I'll keep the news on after all. Ignoring whatever the reporter is babbling on about, I stare down at my hands. The events of today keep running themselves over and over in my mind. And if I could do it before, then I can do it again. Concentrating, I screw my eyes shut and try to summon the tingling sensation from earlier. But nope, the stupid thing won't come out of wherever it's hiding. I give another sigh before opening my eyes, dropping my arms to my sides. It's like trying to get Mum out of her office. Hopeless and disappointing. Remembering that Mum is once again at work, irritation worms its way inside of me. The point of being a mother was fucking looking after your child, not pissing off and fuckin' working twenty four hours a day.
I stomp to the fridge and pull out a can of soda, placing it on the bench. Mum just pisses off before I go to school and miraculously appears the next morning. Mum could be a goddam robot for crying out loud, she doesn't seem to sleep or anything! The tingling in my hands starts again and I barely have time to close the fridge before my hands burst into flame.
Woah. Okay, so anger seems to be how I make these…fireballs. Like the fuel for a car.
It's almost trance inducing, watching the flames flicker. I can't take my eyes off of them. Shaking my hands, I extinguish the fireballs before walking back to the couch, flopping onto it.
"In other news," The reporter on the TV says, "Batman has stopped The Joker's recent attack on Gotham City, and has been returned to Arkham Asylum." I give an 'ugh' before rising to my feet to get my drink.
Everyone's giving Batman way too much attention. Give me a cape and a cowl and I could scare the living Christ out of robbers too. Probably.
"Gotham News has been lucky enough to capture exclusive footage of the incident." The reporter continues and I'm back on the couch so fast I'm a blur, forgetting completely about my drink. The screen changes to the streets of Gotham, surrounded by tall buildings and the street separated by traffic islands.
"That's the north road of my school!" I exclaim. How the hell did I not see this? Batman's fighting a weird clown, his face twisted into a crazy grin and his hair an unwashed shade of green. The clown's laughing as he swings a giant mallet at Batman, the caped crusader barely missing each swing.
"Come on!" I cheer, "Aim lower!" I don't know why I'm cheering this 'Joker' guy on, but it's about time someone brings the Batman back down to earth. He thinks he's so untouchable, pfft, yeah right. As if able to hear me, the clown called The Joker swings the mallet and knocks Batman's feet out from under him. Batman grunts as his head smacks against the road and I jump up on the couch, standing on the seat cushions.
"Yes!" I shout loudly, "Bash his head open!" Joker laughs again and I laugh too for some reason. His laugh is just so insane and evil and happy and infectious.
"Anyone for bat squash?" The Joker jokes and I chuckle as he swings the mallet down, aiming right for Batman's head. Just as it seems Batman's brain is going to redecorate the road, Batman grabs the long handle of the mallet, not really stopping it but slowing it down enough for him to roll out of the way.
"No!" I yell, partially angry but also kind of disappointed. Batman punches The Joker in the jaw, the blow so hard it knocks Joker clean the fuck out as he sprawls to the ground. My face is twisted with horror as I stand frozen on the couch. The screen switches back to the reporter and my expression slowly turns from horror to anger.
"No!" I yell again, my hands bursting into flame, "No, no, no!" I fling an arm and the fireball in that hand goes flying, hitting the curtain and setting it alight.
"Oh shit!" I exclaim as I jump off the couch and stamp the fire out with my sneaker. I glance at my hands. Didn't know I could do that…
Looking back at the TV, I give an exasperated sigh before I start to pace back and forth across the loungeroom. I only pace when I'm really angry. Or when the gears in my head are working overdrive.
All Joker had to have done was the dodge the punch. Because Batman was still holding the mallet and his fist was raised, Joker would have had a clear shot at him.
I give a small cheer as the name of my school is announced as closed tomorrow before I return to my thinking.
There had to have been a reason Joker didn't realise something that simple. Some reason he didn't dodge the punch.
I decide that I will have to investigate this further, try and figure out this reason. I smile evilly.
And I now have the perfect opportunity.