Chapter 9: Batman is gone

While Carrie continued watching the video Bruce's butler: Alfred Pennyworth, she read Alfred's family. Alfred with his siblings: Katie and Brian, Katie married her husband: Gerry Tanner, she had daughter: Eleanor Tanner-Snell, she with the support of her husband: Edward, her daughter: Sue & Sierra, Alfred & his family with their niece, Eleanor, nephew-in-law, Edward & great-nieces, Sue & Sierra, as Alfred in Gotham City…

One of the things Carrie has learned recently, for example, is that John Blake and Robin are one and the same…

As Carrie continued watching the video, she overheard some students talking about something.

"Did you hear about the Bat that went superhero in Gotham City?" A student asked in concern.

This, for some reason got Carrie's attention as she turned and looked at the two boys and a girl that were sitting at a table across from her.

"Yes I did hear that, they said the Bat just disappeared without a trace. One of them was a bat-wings, another was a bat vessel, and the other one was a superhero." His friend said.

"What do you think happened to the people who were on board Gotham?" The student asked.

"Don't know. They haven't found a single person that was on board those the Bat. He is called the Batman. I guess Batman is still forever, or worse, possibly dead." His friend said those last two words in a scared voice.

Carrie was watching and listening to them intently, having heard every word they just said. There was Batman that went forever without a trace in Gotham City? That sounded really strange. The topic about Batman suddenly left her mind as she was interested in what they were saying and kept listening.

"Not only that. They said that in the US the GCPD was send into Gotham City so they try to find bad guys or find what was the cause? The Bat-Signal by Commissioner Jim Gordon. Batman with his partner Robin. They were somewhere in Gotham City for hours before suddenly, they went offline. Batman's all villains. Ra's Al Ghul, Dr. Jonathan Crane becomes Scarecrow, The Joker, Harvey Dent becomes Two-Face, Selina Kyle becomes Catwoman, Bane and Miranda Tate becomes Talia Al Ghul. The deaths of Ra's Al Ghul, Two-Face, Bane and Talia Al Ghul in 2004 & 2012. The Joker, Scarecrow and Catwoman survived." His friend explained.

The student and girl looked at him with frightened eyes hearing that the US the GCPD just disappeared with the Bat-Signal.

Carrie, who also heard that caused her eyes to widen in fright as well. How could the four deaths of Ra's Al Ghul, Two-Face, Bane and Talia Al Ghul in 2004 & 2012. With the idea of the Joker, Scarecrow and Catwoman in Gotham City? Much less, in American villains. The US is supposed to be the most secure and powerful country in the world and yet, four villains were killed. How? Who could have been able to do this?

"Harvey Dent because Two-Face." The student said.

"Batman murdered Harvey Dent?" The girl asked.

"No, it's not true. Batman did not murdered Harvey Dent nine years later." His friend said.

"He was right." The student said.

"What do you think could have caused this?" The girl asked.

"Maybe Batman in the Bat, he saved Gotham city." The student said.

"I don't know, maybe it could be that Batman died one year later?" His friend asked.

"Maybe it could have been a fixing wing airplane to the Bat that saved Gotham City we haven't discovered yet?" The girl asked.

"Batman's partner." The student said.

"Robin?" His friend asked.

"Robin in Gotham City." The girl said.

"Yeah." The student said.

For some reason when Carrie heard those two words "The Bat", her mind went back to Gotham City. Batman about the Bat saved Gotham City it all entirely, everyone was saved by Batman. It couldn't be possible, right? It had be a coincidence, right? The villains in Gotham City, she saw on the computer, are somehow connected to the death of Batman. Right!? He doesn't exist! It's all just in her head!

But, what if it wasn't…?

Carrie didn't know what to believe and felt like she was about to lose her mind… As Carrie thinks about Batman's death…

Carrie looked up at the book on the shelves. She held him in the books & found it by looking through the book cover: Bruce Wayne.

"That's it." Carrie said.

(Later at Ulmann's Class, that day…)

Carrie started toward the reading and turned the window in class, the bat paying much attention to the course. Yet she removed the smile that was growing on her face. On one hand, she was getting the knack of her newfound gift performing some as simple as making a bat…Carrie had a smile from the Bat. On the other hand, a group of kids and one mysterious teenage boy all wanted to extend a hand of friendship toward her without reason to judge her. As if for the first in a while, she suddenly felt the way almost every other student felt when they're surrounded by friends. Seemed perhaps things were slowly starting to look up. The English teacher: Mr. Ulmann.

"All right, who's next?" Ulmann the teacher spoke. "Uh, Carrie."

Soon as her name was called, Carrie looked up to face Ulmann.

"Favorite poem. Did you bring one?" Ulmann asked in concern.

All the kids turned toward her, several of them laughed. The only ones not laughing were Sue, Tommy, and his friend: George Dawson, who had taken seats along the back of the class to keep tabs over Carrie. To even suggest that Carrie was nervous was without question an understatement.

"Yeah." Carrie murmured.

"Why don't you come to the front of the class and share it with us all?" Ulmann asked in concern.

Carrie slowly got up from her seat and cautiously made her way down toward the front of the class. Sue, Tommy, and George whose desks are next to Carrie's, could see how uncomfortable she appeared to be. The other students quietly snickered as she approached the front. Soon as she stood at the front of the room, facing the entire class, she kept her eyes on her book and read her poem of choice.

"'This unfrequented place to find some ease, ease to the body some, none to the mind. Times past, and what once I was and what am now o wherefore was my birth from Heaven foretold. Twice by an Angel, who at last in sight of both my parents all in flames... ascended.'" Carrie replied.

"Uh... did you get that?" George whispered to Freddy.

"Okay, uh, that was, uh..." Ulmann stammered. "Disturbing."

The other kids laughed, especially Tina, who clearly had Ulmann's ear. Tommy, sitting between the students, merely glared toward Ulmann angrily.

"This is the most you've said all year." Ulmann continued. "Is there anything else you wanna add or are you done scaring us for the day?"

"Asshole." Tommy muttered, under his breath.

The other students turned and gasped toward him. There was no doubt everyone heard him, especially the teacher.

"Excuse me, Mr. Ross." Ulmann spoke up. "Did you say something?"

"I said, 'Bat.'" Tommy lied. "I just thought about the Bat's wings."

Carrie was a little taken aback hearing that but felt a little relaxed hearing someone like Bat.

"Didn't you, Mr. Ulmann?" Tommy asked him as Carrie started walking back to her seat.

Mr. Ulmann, not expecting this and having nothing to say, just continued the class…

"All right, who's next?" Ulmann asked, as he looked around.

Carrie sat back down in her seat.

"Uh… Nicki. I mean, Lizzy." Ulmann corrected himself having to idea who one of the twins was which.

Carrie kept her head as low as possible. She pushed some hair in front of her face hoping to stay hidden. She peeked over toward Tommy, who just smiled at her with an assuring wink. Sue and George spotted this right away, immediately realizing what was going on.

"I… The Bat- Uh, the Batman." Ulmann said.

The other students toward him. Carrie thinks of Batman.

"Batman in Gotham City. The villains Ra's Al Ghul, Dr. Jonathan Crane A.K.A Scarecrow, The Joker, Harvey Dent A.K.A Two-Face, Selina Kyle A.K.A Catwoman, Bane and Miranda Tate A.K.A Talia Al Ghul." Ulmann said.

The other kids gasped, were shocked, and exchanged looks.

"The villains in Gotham City." Ulmann said.

The other kids laughed at Ulmann.

"All right. Batman is gone in one year. Shut up!" Ulmann said angrily.

The other kids stopped laughing.

"THAT STOPPED LAUGHING AT ME! SHUT UP!" Ulmann called.

The other kids gasped, groaned, and looked down.

"Sue." Tommy spoke up. "I think Mr. Ulmann has a crush."

"I did so." Sue nodded. "The Bat's got a name?"

"The Batman, Sue." Tommy confirmed.

"Batman." Sue said.

"Batman saved Gotham City. The death of Batman one year later." Tommy said.

"Oh my God." Sue said sadly.

Carrie looked at Sue and Tommy were sadness and they wasn't looking. She turned and looked down.

"Batman is gone." Carrie said.

Sadly, Carrie was slightly sad that Batman died and what happened to him. Batman's absence & gone one year later…

Throughout her entire high school years Carrie's always had a wrong on Sue and Tommy and wished they could be together. Though the chances of that happening was really low she thought since they were two completely different people.

Sue turned to her left and saw this and an idea formed in her head. A way to redeem herself after what she did yesterday in the lockers room…

(Later at the Dress shop…)

In the back room of a dress shop, Margaret sits at the sewing machine deep in her work. A customer's voice was heard yet Margaret chose to ignore the voice. Unfortunately for her, that approach would not last for long.

"Is anyone working?" a voice came.

Looking up from the sewing machine, Margaret spotted a woman at the front desk. A rather anxious customer ringing the service bell.

"Excuse me." The customer called out. "ls anybody working?"

Margaret focused on the sewing machine. In the woman's ears, the machine was as loud as a revving engine. She fed the dress into the machine, almost catching her finger in it. Finally, she stopped the machine, and cut the loose thread with her scissors. Clearly, she wanted no interaction with anyone but because it was part of the job Margaret had little choice.

She approached the front counter towards the customer. It was none other than Sue's mother: Eleanor Snell. She's dressed in a blue sleeveless top, which made Margaret uncomfortable. Especially since it showed off the woman's skin and therefore it is 'sinful' in her eyes.

"Oh, Margaret." Eleanor gasped. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I don't know where Hugo and Gloria…"

"Can I help you, Mrs. Snell?" Margaret asked.

Judging by the tone in her voice, Margaret wanted nothing more than to have this conversation over with as soon as possible.

"Yes, it's Eleanor, I'm picking up." Eleanor spoke nervously.

Margaret looked toward Eleanor's ticket then went to seek out Eleanor's clothes. The awkwardness and tension hanging in the air was nothing short of palpable. But eventually, Margaret returned with the dress for Eleanor.

"Margaret, I want to say how sorry I am about what happened at the school." Eleanor apologized. "There's no excuse for what Sue did, but she's a good girl."

"Are any of those girls good?" Margaret asked rhetorically.

Eleanor handed her the money, creeped out by Margaret's words. Margaret put the money inside the register, and Eleanor looked over the dress, very pleased.

"Oh, that is beautiful work, Margaret. Thank you." Eleanor said.

Margaret listened to Eleanor's praise, in barely-contained anxiety and disgust. She pulled out a pen blade, which she used for work, and held it down by her side.

"I love what you've done with the neckline. And the stitches." Eleanor continued, oblivious. "You can barely see them. So few people can sew like this anymore. I could never do anything like this myself."

Margaret's anxiety grew worse with each word spilled out from Eleanor. She pulled up part of her skirt and started scratching at her leg. Eleanor's words grew louder, ringing in her head, so badly she started cutting herself with the pen blade. In Margaret's eyes, this mother encouraged her daughter's sexual sins instead of protecting her the way she does with Carrie. The woman looked as if she could burst into tears or scream at the worst possible moment.

"Sue's going to look beautiful." Eleanor spoke, admirably. "I am so excited for her. I remember my prom. Anyway, she's going to love it."

"These are Godless times, Eleanor." Margaret muttered.

Eleanor frowned with confusion, uncertain of how to take that response. Margaret merely allowed her skirt to fall and walked away, shaking her head in pity over Eleanor's 'sinfulness'...

To Be Continued…