No sleep for the wicked

chapter 39- Under The Mask Which Made Him A Monster

Ashleigh’s POV

I could her distorted voices from outside of my tent, obviously something was happening and it wasn’t good, for them. Suddenly Banes booming voice erupted through the tunnels, “my men our enemy is upon us, we must fight for Gotham’s reckoning!” the shouts of these aggressive men made me hold myself close. I could hear the march of the men in the tunnel system, but the clearest march of all was Banes. His heavy march came up to the entrance of the tent. He push back the tents curtain door, and chuckled as he saw the weak sight which was me, “come, I want you to witness the fall of Gotham.” He offered a hand out to me, I stood up from the cold floor and secured my arm around my waist, I knew I had to agree I had seen what monstrosities this beast could do. I walked towards him, “fine.” His hand didn’t fall I just stayed there waiting for my hand to be placed there; I carefully slipped my frail hand into his large rouged hand and began to walk with him through the tunnels of the subway.

Scarecrow’s POV

We began to descend into Gotham’s depths. We could here distant voices shouts “rise.” Both I and batman kept to the shadows of the tunnels. I tipped my fedora further as we walked closer to the sound of marching and aggressive screams. I looked at batman from the corner of my eye as he nodded. I pushed ourselves into the dark walls of the tunnels as joker and Harley Quinn both took the lead. Both were silent like wild dogs going in for the kill. The figures were now long gone but the shadows still lingered on the wall as it showed them getting ever closer to the rebellion which was waiting for us. Soon I and the batman followed with arsenal in hand, batman with his smoke pellets and dark silver knuckle dusters, and me with my trusty scythe and my fear toxin. We both nodded to each other and ran through the water filled tunnels towards the war which would soon be released on Gotham’s streets.

Ashleigh’s POV

We followed his men through the tunnels each twist and turn reveal a new system but they all headed towards the same end, the centre of Gotham city. Bane kept a tight grip on my hand and wrist as he pulled me though the tunnels. I wanted to run to scream to struggle, but being close to silent and not running was the only thing keeping me alive. I released the pressure of my ripped side only to soon feel my warm blood run from my side into the water below me. My knees shook as a clamped my arm back around my waist in the vain hope that it would stop the bleeding. Suddenly I could hear shouting and screams of fear at the front of the huge mass of men in front of us. As bane’s grip slackened I pulled. I ran through the water filled tunnels towards the sound of terrified screams and maniacal laughter that could only belong to the Joker and Harley Quinn. Suddenly fear filled gunshot fire rang out, as black smoke filled the tunnels surrounding me. “Scarecrow!” I shouted in vain as I pushed forward hoping to god he was here.

Scarecrow’s POV

My fear toxin filled the tunnels around us, joker and Harley wore gas masks to stop the fear toxin effecting them but both the Batman and I didn’t, suddenly I heard my name being called, “scarecrow!” it was Ashleigh, I sprinted towards the mass of armed men hoping to find her. I slid through the water underneath the men, giving me the advantage. My blade flipped out severing each man calf in front of me. Easy work for the wild dogs as Joker and Harley made sure they wouldn’t be getting back up. I twisted upwards forcing the butt of my scythe into the jaw of one of the many armed men. I twisted round hitting each man surrounding me with force as I aimed low finally cutting them with the blade of my scythe at the knee. I flexed my wrist upwards to release my fear toxin. The injured men in front of me all withered in pain and horror as I ran forward to Ashleigh who was screaming my name. “Scarecrow!” I ran fast pushing each man which stood in my way. Finally the voice was only metres away, I ran faster as I could hear Ashleigh’s voice growing closer to me. Suddenly Ashleigh began to scream with panic, “Scarecrow, help me!” I sprinted forward only to see Ashleigh being dragged away by Bane. I growled under my mask, I began to sprint to hear a pair of footsteps matching my own, “I’m coming too.” I looked to my left to see Batman running with me, I flicked out my scythe blade and ran faster as we followed the strangled voice of Ashleigh slowly fading in the tunnel system.

Ashleigh’s POV

I dug my heals into the concrete floor of the tunnel to no avail. I struggled against Bane only to feel more blood pour from my side into the dark water below me. Suddenly I chocked blood, as banes grip increased on my neck as he dragged me through the tunnels, “help me!” I screamed as tears poured down my pale face. I could feel the blood drip from my lips as I screamed harder as we went deeper into the tunnel system. Finally I could hear footsteps, fast moving footsteps, footsteps which were far faster than Bane’s. Suddenly out of the darkness a fist flew towards bane, but his grip didn’t falter, it only became tighter. Suddenly someone grabbed Bane from behind, suddenly bane let go of me, causing me to collapse onto the tunnels water filled floor. I looked behind me to see The batman being flipped over bane’s head, but this allowed the Batman to kick Bane directly in his mouth piece. This caused him to let go of the bat. I looked forward again to see the scarecrow standing in front of me. His hand was in front of me, his eyes filled with relief under the mask which made him a monster. I firmly grasped his hand as he pulled me out of the water, my leg were weak as we didn’t break eye contact, it felt like everything around us had stood still when he whispered those words, “I love you.”