Chloroflora

Chapter VI

January 2nd 2015

Fluttering her eyes open, Flora wakes up. What happened? She thinks to herself as she notices Alfred asleep on her armchair. She quietly moves her way out of bed to go to her bathroom to shower.

A reflection she doesn't recognize looks back at her in the mirror - this isn't flora. She inspects her face as she lingers her fingers on her heavy, dark eye bags. Her collarbone had been bruised, along with some scratches on her body. What happened last night? Flora tries to remember what lead her to look like this.

''Damn you Jonnie Walker'' she mutters under her breath as she gets into the shower.

As she steps out of her bathroom in her emerald silk robe, Alfred was now wide awake, and by his side was Bruce. They stand up looking at her, both of them had the same expression she couldn't read.

After a fair moment of silence, Flora manages to croak out a ''yes?'' as she looks at Bruce, his face turning into a look of disbelief. He tries to remain calm - ''Yes? That's what you have to say for yourself? The news spread around Gotham quickly, the man you killed, and all the lawsuits against you. We expected you to come home, so we could discuss what could happen next. What happened? Your phone was off the entire evening, and from the looks of it you barely made it home alive.'' Bruce spoke, as his shoulders dangled, waiting for a response to come out of the girl's mouth. Breaking the tension, Alfred spoke - ''So? Explain yourself."'. Flora takes a seat on her bed, ''I was so scared, I killed a man, do you know what that feels like? Of course, you do why am I even asking? But everything I've ever worked for was destroyed because of a stupid mistake I made, do you know how that feels? You don't, because you think money solves everything, even human decency. I killed a man for Christ's sake.'' Flora spoke, trying not to snap. Alfred shares a look with Bruce as he speaks ''Flora, everyone knows you did not mean to kill that man, the lawsuits have been taken care of and so is your job-'' ''What?! You're saying you got my job back? Who told you I want that, not all of us are heartless Bruce and can change situations with the click of your fingers'' flora interrupts him. ''Well I presumed you would do anything to go back'' Bruce says, trying to understand her. ''One hundred per cent, but not by buying people, I wanted to earn their respect back, I'm sorry but I'm not going back.'' Flora says enraged ''Suit yourself'' Bruce says harshly, exiting the room.

Leaving only Alfred and Flora in the room, she can't help but start tearing up, which turned into whaling.

''Shhh it will be okay sweety, you will earn back the respect because knowing you, you will do anything to help people, and that is not over yet,'' Alfred spoke quietly to her as she hugged her.

After Flora had calmed down, a thought enters her head. ''How did I get back home, I was on a rooftop with a Jonnie walkers bottle, which I finished, how did I not die?'' she asks curiously, hoping to find an answer.

''Well to be completely honest, we don't know, Bruce tried to track down all your moves from last night, but we have no idea how you got from Dark Delights Bakery back home'' he replies with a shrug of his shoulders. ''Oh,'' Flora speaks, trying to remember events that happened last night. ''But we did find you on the porch with a note in your pocket''.

After Alfred passed the note to Flora, he leaves the room to let Flora take care of her hangover.

Flora lays out the note in front of her, reading it.

''Hi, I found Flora by the bakery, she did not look like she could walk home so I dropped her off, hope she will be alright. PS; see this as a thank you to Flora for helping me that one time :)''

Flora tries to decipher the last sentence as she cannot understand who this could be, but she can't seem to think of anyone.

Flashback from last night.

''This is it, I'll be reunited with my parents soon, ill be okay'' Flora says to herself.

A voice spoke, causing her to open her eyes. ''No you won't be reunited with your parents just yet, you will be okay just here, I'll make sure Flora'' the unknown voice spoke. Trying to understand what the hell is happening as she's being carried bridal style, but the person seems to be running with such speed she can't even lift her head to see his face.

The only information she had on this unidentified man was his worn-out Converse, so whoever he was, he was an average human being.

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stay tuned :)