Okay. I really need to work on my stories more. Keep me in your thoughts and keep in mind that you might not be hearing from me as much. I might have fibromyalgia so typing hurts but I refuse to give up on any stories! Hang in there guys. Oh! And don't forget to review!
Disclaimer: I do not own the JL. Oh but how it would be cool if I did.
The Shadows Live Chapter 10: Part of Him
"He's been in there for hours." Clark whispered as he peered through the darkened window of the gym.
"He says that he is in a conference and that we should leave him be." J'onn whispered back as Wally approached with a tray of food.
"With who? There's no one in there." Wally hissed as he joined the other two men in peeking into the dark gym.
"He's speaking with something, look." J'onn pointed a green finger toward Bruce and sure enough he appeared to be in a heated debate with something.
"I don't understand why he has to have the lights out though."
Suddenly Bruce's shoulders drooped and a crash was head soon afterwards as Wally slipped and crashed into the window. A gasp was let out by all as Bruce whirled on them, shadows fading and allowing light to fill the room, with eyes glowing an ominous red. He blinked this redness away as he exited the room, stopping to talk with them.
"When I say alone, I mean alone." He growled as he set his jet black eyes on them.
"What are you doing anyway?! You need to rest you were nearly cut to ribbons!" Clark shouted.
"I can manage boyscout."
"Those bandages won't hold you together, you need to rest."
"And while I rest allow The Sickness to overrun the Earth?! It had far more power than even you Clark! It feeds on pain and fear as well as flesh which are three things provided in abundance down there! I can't rest."
With that Bruce walked off but J'onn followed and soon Wally appeared with another tray of food.
"Who were you talking to?" J'onn asked as Bruce was handed the tray by an unusually firm Flash.
"The shadows." He responded as he grabbed the tray and waved off Wally who whooshed away in a blur of crimson.
"The shadows?"
"Yes." He lifted his hand and a black tendril leaped from the tiniest crack in the wall forming a sphere rolling in Bruce's palm. "The shadows are more than they seem J'onn. They have thoughts, feelings, and even voices but they are too quiet to hear. Unless you listen. When that icy tingle hits your spine in the middle of the night, when the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end? That's them."
"How can you...?" J'onn gestured toward the black sphere in his hand.
"When The Sickness devours you, it unintentionally links with you. A link that cannot be undone and as a result I can manipulate and hear shadows. The very darkness itself."
"Did you get anything else out of the link?"
"Yes. I know it's one weakness. How it works, how it thinks and that is our ace in the hole for this battle."
"Take it easy Bruce. You don't want to hurt yourself even more."
"I have to find out where it is J'onn." Bruce said as he retreated back into the gym.
He let loose a sigh as the metal door hissed closed and the shadows leaped back out to him. A small hiss reached his ears and he gazed in the darkness around him.
"I don't know." He whispered.
Another hiss answered him, a little bit more forcefully this time.
"How am I supposed to know where he went?!"
He paused to listed to the answering hiss.
"Scry? I can do that?"
Various hisses and squeals sounded, quiet as that of a wasp walking on a windowpane, but Bruce heard it all the same.
"Alright. Just guide me through it."
With the instruction of the hisses he sat on the floor and poured his cup of water onto the tray after emptying it. He pulled a strand of blackness from the air as it was offered to him and mixed it with the water in the tray. He extended his finger and stirred the water until it became as black as ink.
"Future past, future present from you I do beseech knowledge that lies beyond my reach. Troubled thoughts beyond your heart, I pray you now those thoughts impart."
Suddenly ripples passed through the black water, as if pebbles were dropping in and with each ripple a picture formed clearer and clearer. Bruce gazed into the forming picture his heart sank as the water revealed Gotham's welcome sign with a large shadow looming over it.
"No." Bruce whispered as he turned away. "Not Gotham. Gotham's its feeding ground? No."
He stood and ran from the room, hitting his comm' link to contact the others.
"Yes Batman?" They answered in unison.
"Get to the hangar."
"Bruce did you eat?" It was Flash.
"No. There's no time we have to go."
"Bruce come on! You've got to be kidding me!"
"Gotham."
"I beg your pardon?" John asked.
"The Sickness. It's in Gotham. Gotham's its feeding ground. It's going to kill hundreds of people and grow stronger with each and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let that happen."
".....We'll meet you there." Clark answered.
Mark Powers strolled down the streets of Gotham while silently cursing his girlfriend. How could she be so dense? Was it even possible for a girl to be that stupid? He sighed as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. HE inhaled deeply, allowing the smoke to blow away all of his worries.
"Gotham is burning." The ominous whisper penetrated his thoughts suddenly.
"Who's there?" He demanded as he stood straight, ready for a fight.
"Gotham is bleeding."
"Now you come out! I mean it."
"You're mine!" What once was a simple hiss became a dangerous sounding scream of a predator.
Mark gasped and took off but his feet were swept from beneath him and he was dragged, screaming, into the alley by a thick tendril of black. His screams sounded for blocks as loud wet crunches rang through the darkness of the alley. Horrified people stood and watched with widened eyes, too terrified to move as more black tentacles shot out and grabbed them. Red eyes formed in the impenetrable blackness as The Sickness drew people into its yellow jaws.
It rose from its hiding spot with an unearthly wail and yanked up more and more people growing stronger with each kill. The Shadow Stretched its clawed hand forward, hissing menacingly as it grabbed its next victim. The red headed woman screamed in terror as she was brought up toward it mighty jaws. Bloodstained fangs glimmering in the setting sun it devoured her. It released a victorious wail to the red sky stained with the blood of its many kills as it swept through the city feeding on all the fear polluting its streets. With each feed its strength grew and grew until not even the sun could prevail over its darkness. The city was overrun. Screams were all that could be heard and darkness all that could be seen.
"This wold is mine!" It roared, flaunting its assumed victory.
Or was it assumed? After all what could stand against a creature so powerful.
Whoot! I love that ending. Anyone think they know how The Sickness is gonna go down? Please tell me and it you don't have one think on up pronto! But hey reviews are good either way! See you next time!