Tomorrow

Christmas letters: part 1

- after Oswald's first 7 months in black gate -

Dear Ed,

I heard they've taken you to Arkham. I'm so sorry old friend, I know how awful it is there and how much you hate it. If it's any consolation, it's rather bleak where I find myself too. Guards are either corrupt or thickheaded brutes with a power complexes, and don't get me started on the inmates - uncivilised and completely useless the lot of them. Sitting in this dank, dreary cell day in, day out, the only thoughts that brought me any peace were those of you out in the world, composing riddles and music in our cramped flat. Hearing of your arrest and incapacitation, affected me more than I thought it would and now the image of you sat alone in there is all I can see. I'm not really sure why I wrote you this letter, except to say that, if you can't have a merry Christmas stuck in that hellhole, just know I am thinking of you always.

Your friend,

Oswald

- Next Christmas -

Dearest Ed,

What an eventful year we have had here at Black gate. New inmates, murders, corruption and a scandal involving a knife, a rubber chicken and a pair of socks. I wonder what fresh hell awaits us next year. These days seem to stretch longer and longer and the end of my sentence threatens never to come. I sometimes wonder if it's at all worth it and have been tempted, on more than one occasion to -

- anyway, that's not what this letter should be about. I hate to think of you rotting away in there, with nobody to tolerate your incessant riddles. I trust you're putting that brain of yours to good use and are planning a way out of there? Just don't forget about me when you do.

Merry Christmas,

Oswald.

- year number 4 -

Dearest Edward,

As another year passes, stuck in this place, I feel more alone than ever before. I have always been a rather closed off and detached sort of person and, as you know I was never well versed in the art of making 'friends', just like yourself. I suppose, as a child, when you're used to being alone, you never learn to miss it, but reflecting on our relationship, with it's high's and low's, I realise that's because I had nothing to miss. Being away from you for so long, with no contact has put me in the odd position of missing you. I sound pathetic, I know, but being in this place I feel these letters are the only way of expressing any kind of emotion. The criminals and low life's I'm surrounded by need to see me as The Penguin. They need to fear me, respect me. But to you I will always just be Oswald. Once upon a time, that would have repulsed me, but perhaps it is okay to let your guard down with some people. Anyway, as another hellish holiday and nightmarish new year passes us by, I send you my regards and hope you're holding up alright in there.

Thinking of you,

Oswald.

- Year number 7 -

My dearest Edward,

These past few years I have started to ponder the concept of love. You and I have been through so much together and as hard as we tried to be enemies, we could never manage it and I realise now that is, perhaps, because my regard for you may run deeper than that of two friends. I know I've been down this road before, and it lead to nothing but pain for all involved. I refer, of course to what I did to Isobella and I realise, only now that I never apologised for that. Knowing, this is something you have been willing to overlook, but that it is something you could never forgive, I want you to hear that, for once, I am truly and utterly sorry for what I did to her, and How it hurt you. My feelings, however remain the same as they were all those years ago, only this time, I expect nothing in return. If friends is all we can be, I can make my peace with that, but seeing as you may never get out of Arkham anyway, I might as well confess to you here, that, Edward, I think love may be the word best befitting my feelings for you, and I don't mean in the platonic sense.

with you always,

Oswald.