Silent - A Batman Story

Chapter 3

     Luda stayed the night at Mrs Barnes house. She was lucky that she couldn't be charged, though Commissioner Gordon said he would be keeping an eye on her. She sighed, looking up at the ceiling of the spare room. That day, after school, she would be sent back to the girls home.

     "Luda, come downstairs, I've made breakfast." Barnes called from the kitchen. Luda pushed herself of the bed, walking out of the cluttered spare room. She was dressed I pyjama's that Sarah had given her. She had gone to get Luda some clothes for that day. Luda wandered back through the hall and down the stairs. 

     Two plates of pancakes where on the counter as Mrs Barnes was wandering around the kitchen, trying to find some syrup. Luda smiled and went to sit on one of the stools. Barnes finally found the syrup, turning around and jumping when she saw Luda sitting at the bench. 

      "Luda, you scared me. I didn't even hear you come done the stairs."

     "Oh, sorry." Luda apologised, feeling bad for scaring the woman. 

     "No, no, don't apologise. Anyway, we best eat up and you better get ready for school this morning. I'll pick you up from school to drop you back off at the group home." 

    The two ate their food quickly and Luda ran back upstairs to get changed. She ran back down the stairs, grabbing the school bag Mrs Barnes had grabbed from the home the night before. The two hopped into the small car and headed towards her Gotham Middle School. 

    As they pulled into the school, Luda leaned down in the car seat, trying to avoid being seen in her case workers car. She knew that the other girls in the home would have told their friends that she had robbed a store last night. At this point, at least half of the school would know the story and have undoubtedly have exadurated the entire story.  

     "Hey," Sarah said, turning around to Luda. "It'll be okay. I'll be coming to pick you up at 3 from the front of school. And remember, you can always come and talk to me."

     "Yeah, I know." Luda sighed, grabbing her bag. "I'll see you later."

     "I'll see you later, Luda. Be good."

     "I'll try." Luda said, grabbing her bag and jumping out of the car and heading towards the school. 

      Sarah sighed, before driving off. 

     Luda was less thrilled. She pulled her jackets hood up and began walking, her head hung down. She looked left and right, looking at the staring people as she walked through the halls. Thank god it was a Friday. She could go back to the girls home and hide for the weekend. It had only been 10 minutes and she wanted to go home. 

     The whispers in halls and the passing of notes as she went through the day was antagonising. She felt like an animal in a zoo, like she was on display for everyone on display. She sat through the day, which seemed considerably slower than it seemed every other day. She just wanted to hide. The stares. The whispers. The laughs. It was overwhelming. She hid in the bathrooms at lunch. Even her friends looked at her as though she was a stranger. She was completely alone. 

     At the end of the day, she was ready to just go back to the girls home. She picked her stuff up from her cubby, a note falling out as she did so. She sighed, picking up the note.

     We don't want thieving orphans in our school. Leave. - Everyone.

      Luda screwed the note up, throwing it into the trash can by the door. She heard the snickers of her classmates as she left the room. She wanted to go to her home. She wanted to go to sleep in the bed, in the corner of her old apartment that was surrounded by the off green colour. She wanted to sit in the bay window where her mother told her stories. She wanted to perform on the street with her parents. She missed the yelling of her neighbours and the angry stomping from the man who lived upstairs. She missed the old lady who used to babysit her when her parents had enough money to have a night out between themselves. She missed the sarmi her Mama made on Saturdays. She missed the way her Tatko would make sure to take extra care in tucking her in every night. She missed singing in Bulgarian every night before she went to sleep. She missed her home.

    She ran out of the school, tears in her eyes. She didn't even bother looking for Mrs Barnes car, instead choosing to hide in the nearest Gotham alley. She hid behind a bin, curled in a ball, crying. She wanted to go home. She wanted her parents. The alley was cold and dark, and didn't help Luda's mood in the slightest. 

      Eventually, Mrs Barnes found Luda, and upon seeing the young girl sobbing, she bought her into a hug, getting her tights dirty in the process. "It'll be okay. You'll be okay. It's okay Luda."  

        "No, it won't they're gone. It's my fault. If I had never told them my wish it wouldn't have happened. You're not supposed to tell people your wishes and I told them. It killed them. I should have just not wished for anything."

      "It's not your fault, Luda. It was never your fault. The people who decided to take guns and do that. It's their fault. Not yours." Luda hung onto every word. "Now, lets get back to the car. I have some news for you."

      Luda wiped her eyes, standing up and grabbing her bag. She followed Mrs Barnes back to the car. The school had cleared of other students. She got in the back of the car, emotionally exhausted. She wanted to go to sleep, but stayed awake as she would soon be back at the group home. 

      "Luda, when we get to the group home I'm going to help you pack up your stuff, okay?"

     "Pack up my stuff?" Luda questioned, now fully awake.

      "I'll explain when we've got your things. Trust me you're going to love it." Sarah said, her voice was cheery, yet soft and comforting.

      Luda was nervous. She had no idea what she was getting into. They arrived at the girls home and as they hopped out of the car, the girls who lived there were gathered around the car as Luda jumped out.

      Mrs Barnes followed Luda into the building. The lady who ran the girls home was in the entrance waiting for the two, holding two bags in her hands. 

     "Luda, I did you the favour of collecting your things."

     "Did you pick up the family picture?"

     "Yes, your family photo's in the bag. Now, off you go. Hurry off. I've got to start the girls dinners soon."

     "Yes Ma'am." 

     "I'll see you later Kathy." Mrs Barnes said, smiling sarcastically.

      "Sayonara Sarah." 

      

     The drive to wherever they were heading was long and went through many different districts of Gotham and even onto the mainland. Luda was confused. Where were they going? Were they leaving Gotham?

     Suddenly, Mrs Barnes took a sharp turn into a gated community. One of the rich neighbourhoods? Why were they going in there? Especially so soon after she became a thief.

     "Mrs Barnes, why are we here? You said you'd explain, but you never did."

     "Luda, you're being adopted, I thought that would have been obvious by now."