~Never Fades ~

Bad Luck

The food that had been stocked didn't last long. After New Years Amaranth was back to scavenging for food. School had started back up but, Amaranth noticed that Damian had been increasingly gone. He told her he had to see vary distant relatives for some business but he shouldn't be long. Amaranth had no cousins that she knew or aunts and uncles so she didn't know what it was like to have to see family.

Her mother had one of her hissy fits again and brought another man to their home. She kicked her out and it was night already. She was wrapped up tightly and was doing good at keeping warm. She was trying to see if there would be any restaurants near with trash cans in the back to nab some food. As she walked on deeper she eventually ended up in the heart of the narrows.

"Hey! Little girlie! Come here!" A man said. Said man was dressed nicely with a generous amount of jewelry on his hands and neck.

Amaranth didn't want to be bothered so kept on moving. The man knew she was a child but he didn't discriminate. He just wanted workers.

"Yo kid! I'm talking to you!" He increasingly gets frustrated. Amaranth picks up her pace. She has never had to run away form a stranger in the street before. She was in panic mode. Said man didn't seem to follow her but the evils of the night were making their appearance. This isn't good. What's happening?

She looked over her shoulder and beagn to consider going home to face the wrath of her mother. She never got to make her decision because some had grabbed her and put a gloved hand over her mouth.

"Little children shouldn't be running around at night." The voice was sly and mischievous. Amaranths skin crawls as she begins to struggle. She was brought into one of the many allies the city had to offer where disgusting crimes and tragedies were prevalent in Gotham.

She was thrown to the ground and unwanted tears began to stain her face. What am I to do! I don't want to die! She tries to pull herself up and look at the crook but he forces her back down to the ground, her face slamming into the concrete. The pain drowns her and before she is completely unconscious the weight of the man his taken off of her and pained sobs flood the night. She is then gently picked up and she looks up to see two pointy peaks on someone's head.

Batman? She thought but then everything blacks out.

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She woke up in a bed and with white lights beaming down at her. She sits up then grabs her head due to the immense pain that rocks through it. She feels bandages around her head and once her eyes adjust she scans her surroundings and figures out that she is in a hospital. How did I get here? What happed? My mom is going to kill me! Amaranth didn't usually go to the hospital, she hasn't gone to a doctor, ever. She was healthy and if she was sick she would rest at home or take drug store meds. No reason for her to go see a dentist if she brushed two, sometimes three, times a day. She had never gotten an injury bad enough to go to the hospital so this was her first time being in once since birth. Her mother did not have the money to pay the bill of her being in the hospital.

She mentally groans and slumps in the bed. She couldn't do anything about it so she sits and thinks about what happed as things start to come back to her. Of all the times to get into trouble! I always walk about at night and no one had ever spared me a glance. I guess my luck ran out. I could have died! Maybe I should just sit outside the store instead of wandering about Gotham especially in the narrows.

A woman walks in with glasses perched on her face. She had a warm smile and inviting eyes.

"Hello miss. May I know your name?"

"Amaranth Noble." She announces. The fear of the night had drained from her. She suddenly became indifferent about what had happed to her and just happy to no be dead. It was easy to talk to the woman and said woman took note of Amaranths mood change. When she had walked in she had been stiff and her eyes looked confused and fearful. Her shoulders had now slacked and her eyes filled with a innocent and whimsical light.