"Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful." - Mary Shelley, Frankenstein
••• Flashback •••
Bird sat on her bed in Arkham Asylum, legs tucked up under herself as she flipped through a bridal magazine to kill time.
Time was all it seemed like she had in this place.
With a heavy sigh, she dropped her head back against the cement wall behind her.
Stay positive was what her lawyer told her, but places like Arkham Asylum killed every last ounce of hope a person could hang onto.
Shaking her head and trying not to go down the dark rabbit hole in her mind, she blinked and tried to focus her eyes back on the pages.
All the picture-perfect smiles.
A level of happiness she didn't even think was humanly possible but was somehow supposed to be her future.
A jolt of resentment shot through her as she thought about Harvey.
How he'd started dodging her calls; sopped coming to visit her.
She turned the page in the magazine, her eyes catching on her bare finger -one that should have been adorned with her engagement ring but she'd been forced to give up all her jewelry when she was admitted into the asylum.
Trade-in her clothes for the black and white striped uniforms the inmates wore.
Holding her hand out in front of her, she thought about how much she missed that stupid ring.
Or possibly more so missed what it represented, that she was loved, that someone willingly wanted to spend their life at her side.
Her head tilted to the side as she remembered how that same hand had looked after a fight they'd gotten into; when he'd taken her hand in his with a vice grip of strength.
How he'd nearly broken her bones that day.
Either didn't hear or chose not to listen to her pleas as she told him he was hurting her.
The varying shades of purples and blue her skin took on in the days after.
The ugly yellowish-brown tones they'd turned into weeks later when the bruises started to heal.
Hearing the familiar creak of the door to her room opening, Bird's posture stiffened.
Ready for a fight.
It was late, they were all supposed to be in bed already and there was no reason anyone should be coming into her room.
When she didn't see anyone, she laid the magazine down and scooted to the edge of her bed.
As silently as possible, she stood up.
Her bare feet padding lightly against the dusty floor as she moved apprehensively towards the open doorway.
"Boo!"
Jerome exclaimed, jumping into view with a laugh.
His excitement quickly dwindled when he didn't get the reaction he'd wanted out of her.
She didn't jump. Didn't flinch.
Instead, she asked in a whisper-yell, "What are you doing?"
"I have a surprise for you." Jerome bounced with energy. Bobbing with every word.
"I don't like surprises." Bird countered. Brow arched.
"Come on." He nodded towards the end of the hallway where there was a door leading to the service staircase. Staff only.
YOU ARE READING
Devil's Playground • Gotham Fanfiction •
Fanfiction"Sometimes you have to just sit back and watch people destroy themselves." Bird's own words after watching her biological mother die. Little did she know that apparently it was something she'd inherited. Maybe that's just part of the madness of life...
