blackbird | dc

gutter kid

"Smile!" A flash disrupted my thoughts as I plastered a fake smile on my face, I still looked dead inside, the photographer frowned, "I'm ugly." Was my response and Detective Brown put his hand on my shoulder, I winced, "Come on, let's go get some grub." His kindness immediately threw me off but I played his little game, I wanted to know what he wanted.

"I've been watching you for a while, Russo." He told me, I furrowed my eyebrows but said nothing, "You've been thrown out and I get it, you're angry. I would be too." He tried to sympathize but it didn't work, if only he knew what has happened. If only he knew what I have done. If he knew what I was he would feel differently. To him I was another Gotham street rat, "Gotham City isn't safe to be homeless in." He told me, I rolled my eyes. I wasn't homeless. I was a desperate runaway.

The car eventually stopped at a light and I knew it was my moment, I looked at the cop and he was humming along to a song on the radio, he was innocent. Too bad I need to survive. Birds surrounded the car and the fluttering of wings was deafening, the birds began breaking the windows and swarming the car, "I'm sorry." I muttered as I opened the door, I was freed, the birds disappeared.

My footsteps hit the ground as I ran, I did not stop running. The taste of freedom was sweet and rewarding, shadows blended in with the background, whispers plagued the streets, I was being followed. I swung around as I heard the echo of an echo, scared of my own shadow I felt threatened, the hair on my arms raised and birds began circling above me, "Look what you've become, a mutant." A voice mocked me, I furrowed my eyebrows, "This isn't funny!" I tried to sound threatening but my high pitched voice didn't do the job.

"Are you still scared of mirrors?" A familiar voice drew closer, my jaw clenched and my teeth chattered, "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you, not again." A man in a white mask approached me, all of the muscles in my body tightened and it took a lot of strength from me not to break his neck, "I want to kill you." I revealed, he wasn't shocked.

"Do it."

I knew he was taunting me, he knew I wouldn't do it.

"The Court needs you, child." He told me, I gulped, "I don't accept your offer." I clenched my fists, "It wasn't an offer." He brought out a switch and pressed the button, a shock ran through my body and caused blood to shoot out of my nose as I fell to the ground, my screams echoed through Gotham.

Birds panicked in the skies as I rolled over and used momentum to get to my feet again, I wiped the blood from my nose on my shirt.

"It's your turn to be scared."