Street Bird

The Bitter Truth

-Somewhere along Gotham's Alleys-

"Hello? Is anybody in there" a weak voice called out, sounding a bit in fear.

However, this call was never returned. Only the sound of a child sobbing and the formidable rain was heard. Gulping, the figure decided to come closer, inspecting the lament. There. On the pavement floor. A child. Sobbing away like there's no tomorrow.

"Ummm...... Are you okay???" the figure asked warily, stepping to his side and bent down. Sheltering him with her umbrella.

The sobbing stopped abruptly as the child's body stiffened. The boy was finally snapped out of his own little world, noticing the sudden changes. The rained seemed to stop, time seemed to stop, as the voice lingered in his ears. Warm and welcoming. Turning slowly, the child's eyes met the figure's.

The sight was painful to see. Heartbreaking, gut wrenching. His eyes were red as blood, dull as an old rock and empty as the definition of nothingness. Like there's an inescapable void with no hope. There's no spark of light anywhere in his eyes. Even if you searched it for a thousand years, there's no guarantee of finding the light. But there's plenty of despair, trauma, sadness, and even anger to go around for decades. So his stare bored right through hers.

The figure halted, from putting her hands on the boy's shoulder. Taking in the stare from the child. The figure stepped back and broke it off. Too intimidated from it. His stare was cold and chilled her right into the bones. She felt her lungs was giving out, her palms getting sweaty as cold sweat appeared. She glanced at the boy carefully, examining the situation. His clothes was dirty, soaked, and smeared with blood. Wait a second.....

Blood???

Her eyes quickly darted to the puddle of blood scattered all around him. Then at the stair's railing. Dented, bloodied,and broken. Chills went down her spine once more, and this time it made her shook like a tremor. Just how exactly does a kid end up in this situation? So she just stood there. Paralyzed. Trembling. And not knowing what to do.

Out of no where, gunshots was heard as bullets of burning iron find themselves embedded to the woman's chest. Painfully. Her umbrella slipped from her grasp and fell with a clang. Placing a hand over her chest, the woman choked. Her eyes widened in disbelieve , she shook her head. 'No.' A trail of tears made it's way down the woman's cheek as her last breath passed out of her blood stained lips. Finally taking the death situation clearly, the woman's body collapses down and hit the ground. Blood staining her shirt.

Just like in a nightmare, heavy steps was heard as a thug came into view with a sneer spread smugly across his face. His hands was on a gun, still giving out a trail of faint smoke.Richard shut his eyes closed. Tightly. Afraid of what's going to come out of this. He bit down his lips to hold him self from screaming for help. Shaking his head, he shrunk into a ball. It's happening again..... For the second time in his life..... He saw a murder. And he.... May be the one who caused them all.

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"Yo kid!" A low and gruff voice called out, followed by a sense of something hitting the boy's body.

The boy opened his eyes slowly only to be greeted with a sadistic smile. He jumped back, almost falling in the process.

"Wha-what do you want?" the boy croaked out, voice hoarse from crying far too much. His throat burning with pain.

"Nothing kid. I just came to you to say thanks." He snorted at the boy's reaction.

"What for? I haven't done anything to yo-" The boy's voice was cut off by the man's gesture, his head cocked to the woman's limp body on the ground.

"Oh.." he stopped himself and lowered his head, ashamed for what he has done.

"Look. Grab the money I just threw at you and run. Considered yourself lucky. I'm in a good mood." The man spitted and stood up, shadow casting menacingly.

The boy stared at the man quizzically and in fear. His body was shaking, not getting the grasp of what's right and wrong nor what he was supposed to do. He sat on the pavement and glanced at the money. A couple of bucks, stained and just laid there on the cold, wet, and hard ground.

Tic

Toc

The time passed. And so does the man's patience.

"What are you still doing here? I thought I said RUN! Before the next bullet fires.... YOU BETTER HAVE BEEN LONG GONE." The man holds his gun up again. This time, aiming at the boy's head.

Richard immediately snapped out of it. With his hands still trembling, he grabbed the stained down money and all of his things. Without anymore hesitations, he ran. He ran like the wind as his light footsteps echoed down the silent alley.

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- Gotham's Park -

Enough.

He had enough.

The little boy finally stopped running. Not because he wanted to stop, but because he can't go on any further. His foot tripped over the cracked pavement and sent him stumbling down, body crashing down the road. Straight into a puddle. He laid there.

With his lungs out of breath, his muscles tense, sore, and hurt like bloody hell, eyes bloodshot, gut twisted, and tears streaming down his cheeks. He laid there. He laid down the puddle of rain. He can't go on... He can't stand it anymore.

"Enough..."

"This isn't what I wanted. Not at all" his whispers fade into the ever so growing rain.

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Contemplating and brooding in the rain might not be the way for any child to learn life lessons. But there he was, a child no older than eight. Doing the exact thing. Thunder came by again and gave him greetings. It roared as lightning passed his view, a second faster. The light shone at his helpless figure.

Question that kept running around his head was getting its answers.

Yes, the world is unfair. Yes, the world is cruel. And yes, the world was not in his favor right now.

But that's just how the world goes, and he needed to understand it. And he did.

With a tired huff, he pulled his weight and brought his body up. The small boy looked at his bag, his body, his  clothes, and lastly.... His hands.

Opening one, he found himself staring into the stained down money he got from the thug. After a moment, he nodded to himself and gave out a dark and depressed chuckle. Smiling bitterly, he shoved it to his pocket and pushed himself to move again. Disappearing into the rain.

He understand it now.

He knew.

And he accepted it.

He accepted the bitter truth.

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(A/N): 0-0 O...kay..... That was dark. (when was I not dark?) But I swear I didn't planned it to be this way. Nor did I planned this to be this long. Like.... I didn't even think about hitting 500 words and I got 1000+??? *pats myself on the back* So.... I'm tired. That's a thing.... I got a tumblr account... That's a thing... I want to sleep... That's a thing...  Oh well *shrugs*

I felt like I don't know how to write anymore........ :[ What's happening??? :I *thinks hard* I got tests tomorrow.................... Maybe that's why......... Aha! I should study! (you don't say...)

Stat: unedited so forgive my messy language

Thanks for reading!

Stay whelmed and know the drill guys!

Danke, tschüss~ :D

Batma-feel.....

OUT!

*throws Joker gas*