Out of Time (BatJokes 18+)

What Do You Want?

The change happened in an instant - then Bruce didn't know where he was.

Everything was white. 

No floor - yet he stood on something solid. There was no ceiling or walls. Just nothing. The space he found himself standing in - at least, Bruce assumed he was standing considering he was vertical - was devoid of all substance and matter. Including sound. He was literally in a void of white.

It wasn't oppressive there. Neither was it stifling. He could 'breathe' normally. It didn't feel like anything. Neither hot or cold. It just... simply existed.

So. This was what it was like inside this particular anomaly. Very curious.

It was a strange place. Bruce wasn't afraid. In fact, he felt nothing. Just like the space he was in. All the same, he clung onto his duffle bag strap for stability. Mostly to remind himself that he really was here. Wherever 'here' was.

For the briefest of moments, Bruce feared that he would never be able to find his way back home - in either direction he was headed. That he would be stuck in this barren world of white with no possible way of escape. He and Alfred never figured out what would happen once inside the anomaly, so now Bruce was treading in unknown waters.

Nevertheless, he knew better than to let doubt conquer him at a time like this. He had to focus. It would do him no good at this point to sink into despair when he's gotten this far. All that was left for him at this point was to keep moving forward. To find out how to get out of where he was.

For there had to be a way. There always was a way.

Bruce studied his surroundings. It was evident he was the only one here. He turned around slowly in a circle but saw nothing but whiteness in every direction - including above and below. 

He let out a heavy sigh and felt a pang of agitation. He considered walking forward until something different would happen. But he had a strange feeling that that was a waste of time. 

Suddenly, an idea sparked into his mind. There was a considerable chance it wouldn't work, but what had he to lose for trying?

Bruce closed his eyes and did his best to clear his mind. He breathed in and out in calm breaths, then began to fill his mind with only one thought. Just one.

His parents, alive and well, and back with him when he was innocent. Back before all of the horrors that were about to befall him. Back when he was truly happy.

There was a soft thud in front of him. When he unclosed his eyes, he was surprised to see a door now placed in front of him. There was nothing special about the door. Nothing decorated or written on it. Just had a simple handle and that was it.

There was a small part of Bruce that was disappointed in the lackluster moment of it all. He didn't know what to expect, but he had hoped for more. Considering how much this meant to him.

When nothing else happened, Bruce took a few hesitant steps toward it. He reached it without an issue; neither he nor the door disappeared. Not that he envisioned it to.

With nothing else to do or go on, Bruce reached out and gripped the handle. It felt normal. Was even room temperature. 

He took a deep breath, turned the knob - which he found out was unlocked - and with a thrill he didn't want to acknowledge so soon, he pushed the door open.

It swung wide with little to no effort with a blinding light that caused him to gasp and filled his mind for several seconds...

~~~***~~~