No sleep for the wicked

chapter 38- The Outfit Of A Dead Man

Scarecrow’s POV

I sat on my bed with my head in my hands, my chest felt like it had been torn out of my abdomen, and with every breath I took pain flooded my chest and my soul. I stood up shakily and walked over to my desk, I picked up my hessian mask and stared into the limp coarse material in front of me, “are you happy with what you created?” I threw the mask onto the floor, and stared at it. The fear toxin had made me into a monster; each scar which lined my body was because of the monster which lived inside me, which consumed me. It was true Ashleigh was my only hope, my only light in my dark and criminal life. I needed her more than I needed the day; I looked out of my room window and I saw the chaos which was Gotham city. I sighed and looked back to my mask, “there’s only one way I can get her back.” I knew I was risking my life once again, but I need to face Bane. I smiled crookedly I grabbed my hessian mask and flung open my wardrobe doors, “it’s been a long time.” There hanging was my old scarecrow outfit, the weathered leather trench coat, the signature black fedora and the old noose which hung around my neck. I smiled grimly, the outfit of a dead man.

I pulled the noose around my neck and tipped my hat. I twisted fear toxin into my disperser, I looked at myself in the wardrobe and nodded, “it’s good to be back.” I grabbed my scythe and flung myself over the stair case banister, I walked into the rec room to see everyone standing with the Batman, “glad you could join us scarecrow.” I nodded and walked towards the group of criminals and the one anti-social hero, “do you think your strong enough to go down there scarecrow?” I smirked under my hessian mask, “don’t you dare think you’re going down there by yourself.” I knew what he wanted, he wanted to beat bane and keep Ashleigh for himself. Batman nodded and glared at me silently. “So what’s the plan of attack?” the joker grinned manically as Batman glared dangerously at me, “we set off at midnight, under the cover of darkness, and the rest well that up to you.” I let out a muffled chuckle as the joker and Harley hackle crazily. I had my own plan of attack and so did the batman and both of them included rescuing Ashleigh. “I’ll go and get killer croc.” I looked over my shoulder as I made way down to the animal’s lair and thought about how much pain my love for Ashleigh had cost both of us pain.

Ashleigh’s POV

I sat in the dark space of the tent; armed guards were placed in front of the exit to the tent. I curled up, and hoped my chest could drown out my cried of pain. I needed him, I loved him, I squeezed my eyes shut and saw the scarecrow’s pale scared face and his tangled hair and a crooked grin on his soft lips. A sob broke and seemed to hang in the air as tear crashed against the floor of the tent. My body shook as I tried to gain control of the pain I was feeling. My heart constricted in my chest more and more as sobs escaped my lips, “where are you?” I whispered to myself shakily as I wish for the scarecrow to find me in this nightmare. My breaths came out in ragged gasps as I clutched my stitch ridden side, as pain spread through my body like a wildfire. It was stupid of me to believe that anyone who thrived in a place like this would have sympathy on me. I reached out with a shaky hand and clutched the wall besides me. Bane had left to plan for Gotham’s reckoning, but there was no way that I would be able to escape with two heavily armed guards keeping me hostage. I sighed heavily as my back rested against the damp wall of the subway. I bared my teeth as I pulled my thick leather jacket away from my mutilated side. Thick lines of blood carved down my side away from the wound like aggravated snakes. I pulled the thick material further away from my side to reveal the matted and contorted skin which lay at my side. The stitches were matted with blood, and my skin was a bruised black hue which looked cruel. I scratched away the matted blood to see healed bruised skin laced with intruding stitches.

I bit my lip hard as I began to pull the looser stitches out of my skin, with little effort each came undone leaving me with slight scars. I studied the tighter stitches and saw the skin with they held together was still bleeding, I growled as I buried my nail into the area around the stitch. But the pain caused me to double over as my healed skin began to tear. I gave a muffled scream and reapplied the thick leather jacket to my side. Hot tear rolled down my cheeks as I thought of the scarecrow, I wanted him to take me away from this hell, from this rejected place.

Scarecrow’s POV

The leaped across roof tops, as we followed the black tumbler to the entrance of the old underground subway system. The close sirens of police cars followed Two face’s decoy, as we didn’t need a full blow war between Banes army and the Gotham city police force. I ran fast as I used my scythe as a pole vault closing the gap between the Bat and me. Soon the tumbler came to a halt, in front of the derelict tunnels of the subway system; I jumped from the steel works roof and hooked my scythe blade onto a metal cord which led down to the old shipping yard. My leather combat boots scraped against the gravel ground. The batman along with joker and Harley climbed out of the tumbler and stood in front of the damp tunnel system. Joker crossed his arms over his chest as the batman slipped two dark metal knuckle dusters onto this gloved hands, “so what your plan joker?” the Batman asked baring his teeth,  the laughed wildly and pulled out two toy sized tommy guns, “I’ll run in there and shot anyone who tries to shoot me.” The batman growled, “what about you Harley Quinn?” she giggled lightly and leaned against her novelty giant hammer, “well honey, I walk in there and hit anyone I want.” She nodded and pouted. I could feel the sky begin to break above us and soon the rain began to pour, I nodded to the batman and began to run into the flooding tunnels that would lead me to Ashleigh.