Terror In Gotham City

Chapter 1

*Accalia*

The colours are blinding and the music is making my ears hurt. Laughter and screams of unadulterated joy can be just heard above the piercing music. It's a cacophony of sounds that seems never ending, and I don't know how anyone can stand it, let alone live with it. People who live in a circus are usually borderline insane or have already become insane. Hell, those who come to visit must be borderline insane as well. Who in their right mind would be here? I know. I am, but I'm never in my right mind.

The music and cacophony of sounds begin to fade as I make my way back to the trailers. The air no longer reeks of sweat, vomit, and candy, and there are no stumbling humans ramming into me and demanding for apologies that I will never give. There is no one back here, well, almost no one. The screaming of a woman can be heard, and I can tell that she is pissed. In more ways than one. The shattering of a glass object as I near a familiar trailer makes my hair rise. She's at it again.

"You are a good for nothing bastard," Lila screeches, throwing something. It hits the door and I jump back as it flies open. "You shouldn't even exist!"

My eyes narrow at the scene in front of me. There is shattered glass layering the floor of the trailer and there are trails of blood, fresh and dried, running on the walls. The familiar sight of the circus' Snake Charmer standing threateningly over her son makes my blood boil. There is a broken bottle in her hand and, from the blood covering the young male, it looks as though she has been having her way with him for some time. She raises the bottle again and I feel myself moving forward without hesitation.

I encompass her small wrist with my hand and stop her arm as she swings it down. Her eyes fly to me and they darken with anger, giving her an almost insane look. My grip tightens and I slowly twist her wrist, causing Lila to gasp and drop the bottle. At that, I release her. Only seconds later she attempts to attack me. Gripping her arms to hold her back, I kick her legs out from underneath her and push her out of the trailer. She lands on the hard, winter ground with a yelp of pain, but I bear it no mind as I slam the trailer door shut in her ruddy face, ignoring her yells for me to open the door.

I move to the ginger laying almost unconscious on the trailer floor and sit him up against the couch. "Jerome. Hey, look at me."

His disorientated green eyes meet my bright blue ones and he grins, the blood running from his nose staining his teeth. "Hey, Cali. What're you doing here?"

"Apparently I'm saving your ass again. Can you stand?"

"I should be able to."

Jerome grips the edge of the couch and staggers to his feet, wobbling quite a bit from the blow to his head. I grip his arm as he straightens, giving him a look filled with worry as he almost falls to the ground. All I get is a smirk. At that I roll my eyes and drag him into the small bathroom, causing him to stumble and run into the door frame. I sit him on the shut toilet and help him take his shirt off, throwing it to the side. I then turn to the small cabinet above the sink, grabbing out the antiseptic and bandages before turning back to him. The sight makes my gut churn.

Layers upon layers of scars litter his pale skin. There are jagged scars from broken glass, clean slices from blades of all kinds, and small, circular scars from cigarette burns. There are bruises atop the scars in a myriad of colours and shapes - the severity making chills sweep my body. The patches make unbridled anger wash through me and set my body alight. There's so much wrong with this picture, and I haven't a clue how to stop it. I don't know what I can do for him, but I need to do something.

"Accalia," Jerome says softly, all playfulness and teasing drained from his voice. It's utterly vulnerable and soft - a complete other side of him that very few see. He's never been one to let down his guard around anyone, and, yet, he's letting it down around me. "It's alright. I'm alright. I promise."