Atlas

Batman

Eilis was a small boy when I first met him.

His body was frail from malnutrition and multiple breaks.

I had been living in an apartment complex back then and he was a victim of the woman I helped put behind bars.

Metropolis was a sparking city, glitter rained down from the sky and the American flag was practically replaced by Superman’s symbol.

Still, wicked things happened there, in the hidden cracks of perfect marble. 

Three years later, Eilis is my legal son and I’m considered a murderer.

Apparently in Metropolis, criminals are all roses and sunshine, even when they’re trying to kill you.

You become the bad guy when the police come barreling in and you’re the one holding the ax, you’re apparently a kidnapper when your new son cowers in the corner as his estranged father, a man of many malicious talents, lies dead in the kitchen.

And even when the truth is revealed, Superman is the only one that can take down a villain.

That’s all the public seemed to care about.

Not that my son was now safe from his ‘family business’ or that I was alive another day.  

Fast forward a couple of months and Eilis is starting a new high school at a prestigious private academy with a new identity, to hide him from his father's enemies, and I’m attempting to build a life in a criminally run city because no one would judge a helpless mother that did what she had to do.

At least, that was part of it, one of the many reasons I decided to come to Gotham.

I had hoped to stay low, but then Eilis had issues with an over-intelligent child that skipped ahead in the grades and forced me to end up tangled in the sticky web of a rich man.

Not that Bruce has caused me any trouble in the past week since I’ve met him.

In fact, he’s helped me more than most of the people in my life, having Alfred take Eilis to school has helped him socially advance and even fostered a bit of an off-put friendship between our sons.

Damian even came over to help Eilis with his schoolwork a couple of days ago, stayed for dinner, and showed me just how much of a child he still is.

I couldn’t help but mother him a bit, examining the bruises he’s failed to hide and forcing him to relax and play a board game with Eilis and me. 

I asked him if Bruce had done it.

Damian said no.

When I crossed my arms, Damian said it wasn’t his father, but a couple of thugs that congregated near his favorite spot, a clearing just outside the Wayne property line.

I told him not to go back there and he agreed, but something told me he wasn’t going to actually listen.

I had decided I would talk to Alfred about it, but it seems that wasn’t much of an option now.

Anyways, I should probably get back to my current situation, after all, overthinking my life isn’t going to save it. 

When I awoke my body was sore and my nose was killing me.

Sitting up I tried to cradle my nose but a loud clanking sound broke my concentration.

My wrists were bound in shackles, the chain going on forever before my view of it was cut off by a dark shadowy corner.

The place I am in is dark and shady looking.