Hell's Sniper | J. Todd

III - Bad Guy

Sleepin', on both your tippy toes,
Creepin' around like no one knows
- Billie Eilish

I hate hospitals, yet three times a week I make it my business to visit my brother, who's been stuck in a coma for three and half years in the ICU. You do the math.

The lady at the front desk, who's used to me coming in at late hours and leaving my dogs at the front of the building, gives me a sad smile. Visiting again? The words sit in her pitying eyes.

I take the stairs. It's only on the third floor, so I run up them. It's good cardio. Then I walk- I'm not a monster, it's 8pm- down the hallway to my brother's room. I open the door with hesitancy that I am far too used to.

I sit at the chair next to his bed, watching him. He never moves. I've been here over five hundred and forty times, but no matter what I say, or do, or beg or plead, Lucien never wakes up.

"Hello. I'm back, again. I did something crazy. Stupid, maybe not, but definitely crazy." I say in hushed French. I look at his resting face. He looks peaceful. But he was always stressed. "Please, brother. Stop dreaming."

Someone clears their throat. My eyes widen as I look around the room, disappointed and ashamed at myself for believing someone wasn't there, and that my brother truly was waking up.

It's much, much, much worse than that.

"G'day. What do you want?" perhaps my tone comes off as indecent and harsh; which is entirely possible, but I don't care. This is my brother's hospital ward.

"I'm going to make this short." Batman says, ignoring my question for now. Typical.

"That is, if you don't wish to be compliant." Robin, his sidekick, adds. It earns him two glares, both of which are brushed off by the boy. He looks to be around eighteen.

"Why'd you kill the Joker?" Batman asks, though his focus is on Robin.

"It's my job."

They each raise one eyebrow. I roll my eyes. "It's my job to protect civilians, even if it includes deadly force. That's what I did."

"You never know. You could turn into a homicidal maniac, going around and killing all of Gotham's criminals. What's to say you won't?" Robin pridefully smirks, like he's won the argument and there's no room for debate.

"Watch it, garçon." I snap bitterly, using the tone I use on my dogs when they do something really, really bad, since most forms of verbal discipline don't phase them at all. It wipes the smirk straight off his face. 

"Robin, that's enough."

"Yeah, how 'bout the both of youse go right ahead and fuck off?"

"Give 'em a break, Ruth. There just trying to keep the city safe." I turn in alarm at a voice I haven't heard in so long. His greyish green eyes stare back at me tiredly, as if he hasn't been asleep for so long.

I glance back at the vigilantes, who I swear have smiles cracking on their faces, then back at Lucien. "You're awake."

The hospital windows open, then shut. I pay no mind. I simply reach my hand out weakly to touch my brother's face.

"Ruth? Why are you crying?" he's on the verge of laughter, confusion seeping into his voice.

"It's just that- I-" I press the button for the nurse with a trembling hand. "You've been gone for so long."

Then the nurse comes in, her eyes wide with shock and surprise. "He's awake." she says in disbelief.

"Yes, yes he is."

Lucien looks between us in utter confusion. "What are the both of you on about?"

I shake my head in dull laughter. "I've got a lot to tell you about."