A spark of light interrupts the gloomy Gotham skies as Gordon puts a cigar to his mouth, letting out a celebratory puff of smoke. The sound of the city's breath sways in the ambience while Gordon waits atop the roof of the GCPD. He leans against the guardrail, staring at the vast mountainous buildings that comprise his home.
"Jim," a familiar voice greets him, "You called," Batman says, manifesting out of nowhere from behind Gordon.
"I'm glad you came," Gordon tells him, turning around, "I just wanted to say thanks for bringing him in. With that monster gone, maybe we can all get some sleep at night again."
"He'll spend the rest of his life behind Arkham's bars. It's what he deserves," he says to Gordon, pausing for a brief moment before the most unexpected thing imaginable leaves his mouth, "I've been meaning to tell you this, but, thank you, Jim."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Gordon questions, completely stumped.
"I let myself go. I got careless. I was teetering on the edge of the void and I wasn't hiding it. You had every reason to turn your back on me and hunt me down, but you didn't. You gave me a chance to find myself again. I owe you," he says earnestly.
Gordon stumbles on his words, completely flabbergasted, "I... uh... thank you... All the years we've worked together protecting this city... I couldn't turn my back on you. Not after everything we've been through. You're the only ally I have in this Hellhole. I'm just glad the nightmare is over."
"Agreed," Batman states, pausing once more as the cold air lingers, "I have... matters, to attend to. Get some rest Jim," Batman then turns around and marches towards the edge of the building, perching on the very end.
"Aren't you gonna... disappear or something?" Gordon remarks lightheartedly.
"No," Batman tells Gordon, glancing over his shoulder, "Not this time." Batman leaps off the edge of the building and his cape shoots out around him. He soars through the air and glides out into the night. Seemingly just a few moments later, Bruce walks down a grimy, rotten alleyway in his finely pressed suit with a bouquet of roses in his hand. Rats dash across the ground and garbage litters the ground. The sun begins to peak its way out and rays of light beam down into the dark, decrepit alley. A crimson red sign passes Bruce as he walks by, a sign reading "Crime Alley."
"It's not about how many times you get hit," Bruce says to himself, "It's about if you keep standing," he kneels down and lets the bouquet rest where his loving parents once met their end.
"And I'm still on my feet."
Bruce walks out of the alley, his hands tucked in his pocket. He stares out at the sky, and watches the sun rise from the horizon.
CREDITS
Writer: @TheBatman010
Editor: @tyrantofhatred
Artist: @shmoonda
YOU ARE READING
Batman: Purgatory
Hayran KurguFor over a decade, The Caped Crusader has loyally protected Gotham without fault. However, when the woman who taught him how to escape the suffering otherwise known as Leslie Thompkins suddenly disappears, Batman is forced to confront the darkest pa...
