Born to Fly

What Makes a Monster - ✔

I walk through the city streets alone, probably having some kind of anxiety attack.

"Harvey!" I shout into the phone. "Damnit, where are you?"

I dial another number. "Jim! Jim! I need you, okay? I'm— I'm— Penguin broke up with me." I weep. Why does it feel like everyone I've ever trusted has suddenly disappeared?

"So this is what it's come down to?" A voice scolds from a car on the street.

"What are you doing here?" I don't even care to look him in the eye. "By all means, I could kill you right now."

"What, did Penguin break up with you?"

"Shut up, Butch. Go home, or wherever. I don't need you."

He opens his passenger door. "We both know you won't kill me, so you should answer my question."

"Yes, Butch! Oswald broke up with me! Do you feel better now?"

"No," he says. "Let me drive you home, please."

"I'm fine. I really don't need help from someone who was directly involved in my boyfriend's mother's murder."

"Well, ex-boyfriend. That's not the point."

"You better get to it fast."

"He brainwashed me, Sera! I lost months of my life to serving him! I even lost my hand."

"The brainwashing was Zsasz and Falcone's idea!"

"He could've released me, and that still doesn't make up for my hand."

"I don't care about your stupid hand, Butch! I have neither of my hands! I can never go back to the life I had before."

"This is how you're going to play this, Sera?"

"Yeah, because no matter what, I will always know that I am without him because of you."

He regrets everything he's said in our last conversation. "I'm sorry."

No less angry, I enter his car. On the way home, he stays quiet.

"Do you want me to come in?"

I reply with bitterness in my heart.

"No."

My mother's house is a fortress of safety. I change into pajamas and force myself to sleep. It's not peaceful, as I feel like half of my soul has simply vanished.

"Hey," Jim says through the phone, "do you still want to come to the inauguration tonight? It'll be dangerous."

"As tempting as that is I must decline."

"Why?"

"I'm in no shape to do this."

A knock comes at the door.

"Hang on. Let me call you back. Hello?"

Jim, Harvey, and Lee stand on my front porch.

"Sorry. I'm already here."

"We thought it might be good for you to get out of the house." Lee follows Jim inside.

My face is puffy from all the crying I've done. I'm not at all ready to put on a brave face. The last thing I want to do is go out.

Lee whirls me up to the bathroom. She produces an ivory-colored, floor-length, sparkly dress. I spend the next hour listening to her blabber about work as she does my make-up. Honestly, it goes in one ear and out the either. I just don't have the heart to silence the pregnant woman.