Gotham BatCat - On the edge of night

Inside your head

This red lipstick leads my night.
Red line is a trace on the wall of the old fabric.
Red line is a bleeding wound on my ribs.
She went too far... But didn't she always go too far?

I see broken jewelry thrown all over the dirty floor. These sparkling things are just breadcrumbs into her insanity.

I hear laughing, it is echoing in these dark corridors. This place hasn't hosted people for quite some time, so it is perfect, perfect for her craziness.

Her leather glove is on the floor as well. that's good. Kitty won't have one of her weapons.

I hear a whip crack.

"Come here! Come here, y'all!"

Her laugh is deafening. It goes so high that it can hurt the ears. Her happiness is toxic. It always has been..

She laughs and laughs, and then I hear screams of pain and crying. As loud, as laughing was.

I don't rush. I need her to exhaust herself, I need her to get tired. I need her hysterics to take all her strength.

"Come...Oh come on! Hurt me! Hurt me, you bitches!"

I hear poison in her voice and scratching. Her demons are there... as close as I am.

The dim yellow light draws my attention. It slowly opens a view of a chaotic room. Empty paint jars are on the floor. All walls are in symbols, in shadows. Her costume is partially ripped. I see scratches on her hands and I know who caused them. Whip is still in her hand.

I make a noisy step to give her feeling that she caught me. She turns to me. Her mask is half off, some hair is sticking from it. And that red lipstick...all over her face.

"You came...with them...You always come!"

She screams and roars as a wounded animal. She tries to laugh, but it ends with crying again.

"Let's go home, Selina."

I go through the threshold and catch a whip that she attacks me with. She pulls back, but I hold it tight. She lets go looking around for another weapon.

"I am not going with you anywhere, demon. I am not..."

Her paw is too slow. I catch it as well. She hits me with her other hand, aiming to the fresh wound on my stomach. I clench my teeth, but catch this hand as well.

She screams frantically and pulls me down trying to free her hands. I get on my knees with her.

"Look at me, Selina! Look at me... Who am I? Say my name... You know who I am."
"You are Batman, night murderer...."
"Not this name...Look at me," I take both of hands with my right hand and grab her chin with my left hand. She twitches, but she is tired, her breathing is rapid.
"You..."
"Selina," I am not letting her stop looking at me.
Her lips are shivering and she whispers barely audible: "Bruce..."
"Yes," I smile, "It is me. I will get you home."
"No! They are everywhere...Demons...they are everywhere!" she tries to point to the walls, her body tenses.
I leave her face and get to my belt. I hoped it won't be needed, but it is worse.
The needle enters the skin of her neck easily. She screams and looks at me with accusation. A few more attempts to escape and she gets quite. I press her head to my chest waiting for her to calm down.
"You...don't understand...demons... Gotham... everywhere...Night...day. You can't run...you can't... You are not safe....never safe...sane...never."
I don't say anything. She dives into unconsciousness and I pick her up.
She will be better. She just needs to rest.

And demons... I look at the red line of her lipstick on the wall. The line is jumping, tangling, turning into a red smile.
Well, demons...
I look away. I saw it so many times, it doesn't surprise me anymore.
Demons...
Dark figures are jumping on the walls, ceiling, running over the floor. I carry her body to the car.
Demons, yes, they are everywhere.
But don't be afraid, Selina.
They are mostly inside your head.