Just One Look

The Run

I walked outside and looked up and down the street. G-ma was no where to be seen. I rolled my eyes, she must have just taken a cab. I hope she's all right.

"Where's Lynn?"

"I don't know," I said looking behind me, the man in purple had just stepped off the elevator and was surveying the lobby. "Let's go, he's on the ground floor." I said pulling on Bruce's tux coat as I walked briskly down the street. The man in purple jerked his head towards me, I saw the fury in his eyes and my heart picked up speed. Bruce and I started walking faster down the street, I heard gunfire behind me and I screamed before taking off. I sprinted, gathering the dress from under me. I ran to the end of the street and turned the corner, I ran pushing past people and jumping over manholes. I saw a cop car parked outside an apartment building and I ran to it, I banged on the window frantically trying to get the attention of the cop inside. He didn't move, I looked closely and saw that his head was turned away, the front of his uniform stained with rust colored blood. I backed away and turned around. I didn't see Bruce anywhere, but I could hear him calling my name. I rushed over to the street that he was on and called out to him, I saw him run down the street and stop feet in front of me. "Where did they go?"

"I'm not sure, but they're gone." He said, peering over his shoulder. A peel of laughter echoed across the block, I cringed and looked up. All that I saw was the cloudy sky, I felt the chill of the air on my skin. The goosebumps crawled across my skin and I shivered, a large semi sped down the road and blared its horn. It swerved around on the two way street. "Run." Bruce yelled, taking off down the street, it took me only a second to follow his thought process. I sprinted after him, the semi turned sharply and started following us down the sidewalk. Bruce darted into an alley way, I almost fell trying to keep up with him. He kept running, while I was running short of breath. My dress caught on a drain pipe and ripped, I tripped and scraped my knee. I got up and kept running through the darkness. Bruce was only feet in front of me and ran expertly through the maze of alleys. He stopped abruptly.

"What is it?" I asked breathlessly.

"Get in." He hissed, I then heard the trample of feet from behind. He opened a steam pipe and got in. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me inside, getting the bars in place just before a gang of clowns rounded the corner and ran down the alley way. I watched, through the darkness as they searched the alley. My heart was beating so loud, I didn't know if I should be more afraid of my crying out or of them hearing the thumping in my chest. I felt around the large pipe for Bruce's hand but didn't find it. Instead I found that the pipe sloped down, I scooted towards the decline and slid slowly down. I felt the grime collecting on my dress and I snorted in disgust. The slope became steep and I had no choice but to take the slide down. I landed hard on solid concrete. Bruce grabbed my hand and my forearm and pulled me up. "We have to keep moving."

"Who is this guy anyways?" I asked, Bruce shushed me and started walking through the muck. When I speak about the smell, you don't even want to imagine the stench of Gotham's sewers. They smelled, bad. Really bad. Like poop and urine, to put it lightly. The smell didn't seem to bother Bruce as he lead me down a tube and to a ladder.

"Go." He ordered, I obeyed and stepped up on the ladder. With much difficulty, I climbed up. He supported me by pushing up on my waist. His cold hands brushed against my back and pushed me up. I put both of my hands on the top of the man hole and pushed, it didn't budge. I pushed again, it didn't move.

"It won't move." I complained, Bruce told me to try harder. "I am trying." I snapped, he told me to try again. I did and, again it didn't move. I heard someone step on it and I knocked loudly, hoping that maybe, just maybe they would hear me. "Hey!" I yelled loudly. "Let us out!!" I yelled louder. I banged on the metal, it shifted and was lifted with much effort from its position.