The Red Right Hand

Don't Follow Me

Master, go one, and I will follow thee, To the last gasp, with truth and loyalty." —William Shakespeare, As You Like IT, Act 2, Scene 3

He tried to inhale, but was greeted only with the taste of filthy water. He began to struggle as his body fought for breath, the chill of the cold river wrapping tightly around him. Finally he remembered what had happened only moments before, and his eyes shot open.

He was met with darkness—the murky depths of the water making it hard to see even a few feet in front of him. For a moment things seemed dissolved and offset, making him realized that the car was no longer upright.

'Raven!' he thought in alarm, recalling she'd been horribly wounded.

He had to act quickly, and pulled himself from the driver's seat. In a slight panic he noticed that the passenger window had been broken in the crash. He swam beneath Raven and through the broken window, making sure there were no glass shards purging out of the frame. Once outside, he pulled her seemingly weightless body from the car, noticing a trail of blood as it dissipated behind her.

'Just stay with me Rae, please,' he silently begged and wrapped his arm around her chest, holding her close.

His ears began to ring as he looked up to see the city lights reflect vaguely at the surface, the faint light calling him to their salvation. The air in his lungs was becoming toxic, leaving him with a surge of panic. His need for breath was growing with every moment he was not permitted to inhale. He set his sights to the illumination and pushed toward the glow that awaited above him, just hoping he could make it in time.

He wasn't sure how many yards he'd have to swim or how long it would even take, but it felt like a decade before he actually broke the surface. Deep relief fell over him as he gasped, filling his dying lungs with oxygen. He quickly remembered the nearly lifeless girl tucked under his arm and pushed himself, panting to the shoreline. It was at least 100 yards away and he knew if she had any chance at survival that he'd have to get there quickly. His body ached as he paddled, his breath still ragged and unsettled.

Approaching the shore, he quietly cursed himself for not being able to make it sooner and scooped Raven up in both arms. The pain in his head began to scream even louder, aching in his left temple, nearly forcing him to his knees. 'I can't,' he huffed, marching forward, emerging from the now knee deep water.

Once at the shore, he placed Raven down beneath the cover of the bridge, her limp body looking lifeless. He brushed away the damp hair that clung to her face, his hand shaking as he choked back both tears and shock. He wasted no time and began administering CPR. Pressing down on her chest, he noticed her skin was looking whiter than usual, as though it were losing life with every moment lost.

"Come on Rae," he growled with desperation, her stillness nearly insulting him.

Finally a rough cough emerged from the wounded girl's throat, freeing the stale water that was trapped within her lungs. An emotional smile stretched across his face as he let his forehead rest on hers in a moment of silent relief.

However, this victory was short lived as he recalled that she wasn't able to heal herself. But before he could address the matter any further, he heard the arcane voice of the man who'd taught him to be a hero.

"Don't move kid, it's over."

The young man's eyes flew open as a wave of shock ran through his body. He was trapped now and he knew he couldn't escape, not without leaving Raven—he couldn't do that. Fear grasped him tightly as the weight of the moment built in his chest, but he knew only Batman could save her now—not him.