The Penguin And His Dove

Fresh Start

I rubbed my temples as I scanned the room of all the cardboard boxes laying over the wooden floor. I had no energy to unpack and put items in to their correct places. I just wanted to sleep. The day had been so stressful and I couldn't go to sleep yet as my bed was full of clothes and items that needed to be put away. I dragged my feet to the coffee machine . That was the first thing to be unpacked! I switched it on and waited. 

The TV was also already plugged in. It was left from the last tenant who lived at this apartment. It wasn't a fancy flat screen but I was grateful it was left. There was no living without that. I wanted to keep track on what city I had moved myself in to. Gotham didn't seem that bad upon arriving. But after having to sit next to a very angry gentleman on the bus who's aroma was very unpleasant, the building owner firstly not accepting my I'D as I didn't look like my photo and then him misplacing my apartment key I can honestly say that I wish today would hurry and end. It was only 4pm and I was so tired I felt like I would collapse at any moment. The coffee machine clicked and I turned around to pour its warm goodness in to the pink stripey mug I had earlier unpacked and left on the marble units. As the black liquid began filling up the cup, the TV began to echo off the empty walls.

"In breaking news, Theo Galavan or otherwise known by Gotham as Azrael, has been found on the property of Wayne Manor. Azrael was found deceased, the person behind this is still unknown " I stared at the TV. My god ! Did I really move here to a place that is full of death and destruction. I rolled my eyes. There is no way I will be getting myself involved in anything to do with crime. I didn't think the stories my friends told me back in my old hometown were true about this place.
"There's a lot of mobs and thugs down there (Y/N)! You don't wan't to be moving to a place like that !"
" I would be careful! My friend was mugged everyday for the first week and now cant go anywhere without a pocket knife"
"There is a gentleman who lives there that calls himself The King Of Gotham. You wouldn't want to run in to his path unless you like the idea of being killed as you sleep."
I rolled my eyes. Just silly stories because they didn't want me coming here. My friends came up with thousands of ways to stop me from moving but nothing was going to get in my way. My old home town was just another reminder of the bullies and constant harassment from people I had no interest in . I was in a dead end job with no family to cry to when things went wrong. I had very little money and had tried to save every penny just to move away to somewhere where I could make a better life for myself. Gotham was the only option left for me .

 I had an interview over the phone and through a video chat and had managed to land myself a job with the GCPD. It wasn't anything incredible. It was mostly sorting and re arranging paper work and files. I didn't necessarily care. It was a job that I needed. I needed money to pay my rent and for food to eat. I didn't care what job I had. I needed out of my old hometown.

I found the remote that was laying on the pine coffee table and turned the television off and placed it back down. I rubbed my eyes with my left hand as I held my coffee in the right. I need to get some fresh air. I cant stand the sight of these four walls any longer. I took another sip of my coffee and placed it down on the table and made my way out of the apartment, down the metal staircase which smelt like urine and alcohol, through the entrance hall and out of the 2 glass doors. I stood on the sidewalk and watched the busy traffic rush by and the people on the sidewalks barging past each other to get home. I breathed in the thick polluted air of the city. I cant exactly say fresh air.
On the opposite side of the road there was a gentleman shouting.
"Buy your newspaper now. Top headlines you don't want to miss!" He shouted as he waved one of the newspapers in the air. A handful of people rushed over and were picking up the paper from his stand and handing their money over to the man. Maybe I should get in line for one? Just incase there is a killer on the loose? I don't want to be killed in my sleep any time soon. Oh shut up those stories aren't true! Besides, I know a few karate moves or two! I could Chinese burn their arm or kick them in the balls. Yeah ill be fine. I thought to myself. I smiled at the passerby's as they looked at me weirdly thinking to myself. There was one person in particular that caught my eye. A gentleman wearing a black suit, holding on to a long cane. He had thick black tinted glasses on and jet black hair. He was holding one of the papers in his left hand and he was smiling. A very peculiar smile. He began to walk over to the road where a black Chevrolet Bel Air was parked . It had black tinted windows so I couldn't see the driver. He hobbled over to the car and bent down to speak to the driver. I couldn't hear anything that was said but I watched amused as he limped to the passenger side of the car and got in. The car sped quickly down the street. Tires screeched as the smell of rubber wafted over to me. That was very odd. Very odd. That man almost walked like a penguin.