Friend or Foe?
I was released from the hospital after being deemed stable enough to function on my own again. Like that'll ever happen. I closed my eyes, trying as hard as I could to consciously put that voice out of my head. It was getting harder to ignore. Everyone talks to themselves in their heads, but this was getting ridiculous.
I basically avoided everyone for the rest of the day. I ate dinner with Roman and Eddie as usual, both asking me how my visit went. Like they actually care. I didn't tell either of them about my breakdown and subsequently what I heard Strange and Bolton talking about. Which led me to where I was now, back in my glass cell. Thinking about, for the millionth time, who I could and couldn't trust. All thoughts just led right back to Roman. I didn't have to like that I had to depend on him, because right now I didn't. I just had to accept it and let him help me. And then never speak to him again.
My head still hurt from earlier. I was afraid of what Strange had in store for me, but I intended to be long gone before he had a chance to do any damage. I just wanted to go to sleep and maybe wake up to find out this whole fucked up journey had been a terrible dream. It was certainly starting to feel like it. I rolled onto my back and looked down towards my feet. That's when I saw Bane. He was lying on his bed too, looking way too large for it, but staring at me nonetheless. I couldn't even think about that right now, so I closed my eyes and let sweet sleep finally overtake me.
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By Wednesday I wasn't as on edge anymore. Strange didn't speak to me about changing his treatment methods again, but I knew he still planned to move forward with it. I also knew that Edward and Roman had been discussing the "escape plan" with more vigor lately. They weren't letting me in on the whole plan, which just pissed me off because I was supposed to be the one who didn't trust them, not the other way around.
I was currently sitting on the dilapidated couch in the rec room listening to Roman and Two-Face bicker about something or other for the umpteenth time this week. It had especially gotten bad in the past few days though. I think Two-Face had caught wind of their little plan somehow and wanted in on it. I hadn't spoke to him since the day in the cafeteria when I was getting my drink. Not because he hasn't tried-your personal attack dog just hasn't let him. I glanced over at Roman now, who was currently trying to be talked down from attacking Two-Face by Edward. He'd been hovering lately. I tolerated it, but I was still waiting for his explanation on what was going on in his head and what we even were for that matter. Because contrary to what he says, there was something going on there. You're never getting that explanation. Probably not. Which, admittedly, bothered me more than it should considering I really didn't want anything to do with him. I was just naturally curious was all.
I turned back towards the television, which was displaying Gotham's news. I don't think anyone was really paying attention to the television at this point, since the yelling in the room had just intensified. I watched as a breaking news banner flashed across the screen. It then changed to a blonde reporter, Vicki Vale, standing outside of some factory-looking place. I leant forward to hear the story better.
"This is Vicki Vale reporting the breaking news that one of Gotham's most notorious villains, who has been missing since the closing of Arkham City, was just apprehended by the Batman." That was interesting. I thought Batman only went out at night? The screen flashed to a blue man being loaded into the back of a police box truck looking vehicle. I tilted my head, wondering where I'd seen that guy before. Then something clicked in my head and I realized I'd seen him being brought in through the back of the Iceberg Lounge back in Arkham City. What was his name again?
"Less than fifteen minutes ago, the Batman foiled the plans of the once award-winning cryogenicist, Victor Fries. Better known by his moniker, Mr. Freeze, Fries was caught trying to dump a currently unknown toxin into the water supply. We can report that no toxins had entered into the water supply in Gotham City at the time of his arrest. We can thank the Batman once again for saving the day. This is Vicki Vale signing out." The story was so brief that I knew I was the only one sitting in the rec room who saw it. The walking snowman. After living in Gotham City for several months, I learned that this sort of terrorism was common, if not expected. I wondered what kind of toxin it was though.
I felt the couch sink next to me and looked over to see Edward plop down beside me. He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer to him. "Are you alright?" He whispered this into my ear so no one around the room would be able to hear. I watched Roman sit down in an armchair nearby, keeping an eye on the two of us on the couch. Eddie, as if sensing where I was looking said, "He asked me to ask you." A pause, "And told me not to tell you that." I tried to smile, but I didn't feel like it. I was going on two days now without sleep and I knew I looked terrible. I also didn't have much of an appetite these days, meaning I'd been dropping weight on top of everything else.
"I'm" I was going to say fine like I always did when someone asked me this, but I was tired of lying, "terrible. Eddie, I'm going to lose my mind in here soon. Either that or just keel over." I leant my head against his shoulder and felt his arm tighten around me. I was so so tired, but every time I was put back in my cell, my mind went into hyper drive. So are we just trusting these people now or? Please, just shut up. The voice was partly to blame for my insomnia.
Eddie leant towards me, his hot breath tickling my earlobe, and said, "Just hang in there a little while longer." I closed my eyes "In a few more days we'll be free." I didn't know if I'd make it until then.
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Although it had been restless, I had gotten a few hours of precious sleep that night. Instead of feeling better though, I think I actually felt worse than before, if that was even possible at this point. Therapy with Strange droned on in the most boring way possible. He kept asking me the same questions. Every. Single. Day. I didn't know if this was part of his technique to see if he could catch me in a lie, but I was so tired that my responses came out automatically now.
The session this morning bothered me however. He had asked if I'd been having any periods where I felt out of control with myself. He expected me to admit I had been hearing someone else inside my head, vying for control, but I denied it. My reaction to hearing him question this though was probably a dead giveaway. Today was also the first day he had mentioned changing up my therapy methods since I'd talked to him in the infirmary. All he'd said was that he'd fully discuss this change in method tomorrow since we were out of time. I didn't know whether to be relieved that I didn't find out today or panicked.
I felt like a zombie walking to the cafeteria. I was losing touch with my surroundings. I was so lost in my thoughts that everything around me was starting to blur at the edges. You are seriously losing it. I walked into the cafeteria a little later than usual today since I had decided to go to the bathroom first. Roman and Edward were already at a table when I walked in. They both looked at me and whispered to each other as soon as I walked in. Maybe they thought I'd been kidnapped again or something. Or are disappointed you weren't.
Behind me the door opened, but I didn't turn around to see who it was. I was too busy moving like a zombie up to meet the back of the line. I was zoned out, staring at the floor wondering if I was imagining it moving when I noticed a man a two people ahead of me in the line. I cocked my head sideways. From the back, he looked vaguely familiar. That's never good. I was staring at the back of his bald head, wondering where I knew him from. My gaze dropped to his bare arms protruding from beneath the scrub top he was wearing when I realized where I had seen this guy. The tally marks were what gave it away. It was the creeper who had been lurking in the doorway after I had escaped the steel mill. The one Roman had threatened.
I was still staring at him, watching him start moving from side to side in a repetitive way. Before I knew what was happening the guy started screaming, "I will kill them! I will kill them all!" He produced a giant knife from the waistband of his pants and started stabbing the guy in front of me repeatedly. I was awake now. Around me, I vaguely registered whistles blowing like the day Roman had gotten in his fight. The guards weren't going to get to him fast enough though.
His head moved up in slow motion and I met his cold eyes. They had dark bags under them and his overall face had a sallow look to it. He looked just like me. I saw him start to lunge my way when I felt two strong arms grab me from behind and pull me away just as the knife came down. Had I been standing there a second longer, I would've had a knife sticking out of my chest.
I was brought back against a strong chest as the guards came and wrestled the man to the ground. I closed my eyes. It had to have been Roman who saved me. Don't count on it. I opened my eyes, ready to turn around when I saw who I thought had been holding me coming at me from across the cafeteria. Edward was still seated at the table, staring at the man being wrestled out of the room now. He was still screaming, "I HAVE TO KILL EVERYONE. THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO!"
Turning around, I saw that my mystery savior was none other than the man I'd been avoiding for a while now. He was staring at the crazy guy being hauled out of the cafeteria with something like a smile on his face. What was that about? He must have realized I was looking at him because he said, "You okay, there?" I looked up into his half burned face and did nothing but nod. Roman was close now, but Two-Face decided to brush a piece of hair out of my face before saying, "You owe me now."
I wasn't sure what all just happened, but I knew there was going to inevitably be a fight today between him and Roman, so without saying anything to Two-Face, I walked out of the line and towards Roman. The chaos that had broken out in the cafeteria not even two minutes ago had already died down a good bit. I grabbed Roman's arm as I was walking past and started dragging him back to the table Eddie was sitting at. I had lost all sense in appetite after what just happened. You're in trouble. I didn't need the voice in my head to tell me that. I figured that out when I saw the bald man's face. It looked just like mine.
Roman sat beside me at the table and repeatedly asked me if I was okay. I looked over his shoulder and met Edward's gaze. Judging from the look on his face, he realized what I had just realized as well. I was fucked.
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For the rest of the lunch period, I had to listen to Roman talk about how he was going to have a chat with Two-Face during the upcoming rec period. You'd think he'd be a little happier that the guy saved your life. He was just jealous. Keep telling yourself that. Eddie hadn't spoken at all for the rest of the lunch period-something that never happened. He just sat at the table with a determined look on his face. He was thinking hard about something. Not wanting to deal with Two-Face and Roman during the rec period, or anyone else for that matter, I decided to do something a little different today.
When Jerry let me out of my cell, he began leading me towards the rec room. Before we got in the elevator however, I stopped and told him, "I want to go outside today."
A/N: Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the late update! I've been really busy lately with college about to start back up again, so sadly my updates may become a little more spread out-at least for a little while. Thanks again to everyone who has reviewed/favorited/followed this story. Like always, I really appreciate the feedback as it helps keep me motivated and lets me know what I need to improve on.
