Post by latikono on Jun 29, 2006 16:34:30 GMT -5
[[Chapter Four: In Which It Is Again]]
“Oh ya!” The skinny young black-haired boy, probably only a few years older than Dahlia, continued. “Dr. Crane said you put up a pretty good fight, and to not underestimate you.” Finally she recognized him; He was the medic from the party. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they must have been the duo that the Scarecrow escaped with. It was sickening to think that her business with Crane was not resting.
“I’m afraid that’s a bit late, Art.” Kek approached Dahlia from behind, looking down at his hand, which he ran under his nose several times to check for blood. He stopped several feet behind her, giving her enough room to not squirm in panic. Finding no blood emerging from his nostrils, he looked back up with the same smile he usually showed off. “Dahlia, I’d like you to meet Artemis. A master of medicine and an expert of offense.” Art exposed a somewhat child-like, lopsided, but crazed grin. “And my real name is Jack. Sorry about the deception.”
“So what, ‘That’s okay, let’s be friends’?” Dahlia hissed back angrily.
“No, actually ... We need you, I’m afraid.” Jack’s smile spread into a grin, as his feet took tiny, slow steps forward with his palms out. As he continued speaking, most likely explaining their needs, Dahlia glanced around to find a way out. There was no way she’d be agile enough to squish past either of them to freedom. Looking up, she noticed that the bookcases at each of her sides were just barely several feet below the ceiling; Plenty of room for a person of her build to slip by.
Like lightning, she ran towards the bookcase parallel to the cement wall and scrambled up it, books flying off their shelves with each strong planting of her foot. Jack and Art both shouted out in surprise as they ran for her and tried to grab her heels. Jack got another whack in the face by the heel of Dahlia’s shoe, while Art arrived to late to try and stop her. Exchanging panicked words that she didn’t pay any attention to, both ran to opposite ends of the corridor as she slipped down to the other side ... yet did not let go. She waited until both were occupied trying to get to the next aisle, then she pulled herself back over and landed safely on the ground. She sprinted to the end nearest the exit.
“Where did she go!” Artemis almost screamed as he slid to a stop, realizing that Dahlia was not in sight.
“... Wait, she climbed back over to the other side!” Jack replied as he already began running back. But again, the two reached the first corridor again and Dahlia was not there. Only the sound of the heavy front door of the library opening caught their attention, and both cursed themselves as complete fools.
Dahlia never looked behind her, nor slowed her pace as she made her way back home. She called herself an idiot and a brat for having disregarded her father’s warnings. It was so arrogant of her to think that the city was large enough to protect her! She should have known that the Scarecrow was far more intelligent than that! Would he have the chance, he would take her, and he almost did! She swore to not make that mistake again. That stupid, stupid mistake.
Back at the apartment, she swung the front door open and immediately called, “Dad! Dad, I’m sorry! You were totally right, and I ...” Entering with deep heaving breaths, she looked around the living room and towards her parent’s bedroom for signs of where Lou was. All the light’s were out. He wasn’t home? There was just no way he would leave the building without her being back safely. Dahlia backed up towards the front door, ready to explore the building to ask her few friendly neighbors of where he may have gone. But as she reached for the edge of the door to pull it shut behind her, it swung closed on its own, slamming shut and rattling the windows. Behind it stood the grim and ghoulishly clad, ragged figure of the Scarecrow.
Not only was he with the exact same mask, but now had fashioned a complete costume, with matching pants, a shirt, shoes, a knee-length coat, and a hat. He truly did look like something out of a cornfield, and yet for such an appearance that one could call silly, it terrified Dahlia. He was here in her apartment once again, now a well-known madman, with more dangerous followers than before. Those brilliant blue orbs of his that had once held such meaning to her now gave her fear.
It was hard enough to look upon him, but it was even more difficult to hear that silky voice of his. “Dahlia, Dahlia ... My love. Finally, after eight long months apart, we are together once again.”
“Don’t touch me.” He had stepped forward with his hands out, but she shuffled back. The fear had, literally, seized her muscles that she could barely move. She wanted to run, either to the fire escape or somehow maneuver around him to get out, but she could barely even walk.
“Oh, come now, Dahlia. I know how you feel about me ...” The command didn’t register in him, and he continued forward. His hand was so close, he could have grabbed her by then. Yet he did not. He wanted to toy with her first.
“I felt for you at one point, Crane. But not anymore. You are nothing to me.” As much as she tried to stop, Dahlia silently wept.
“Ah ... You’ve a new male to rely on? Hmm?” Behind his mask, the shift under the cloth indicated a raising of his eyebrows and a smile on his face.
“What do you want from me?”
He had backed her up into the kitchen counter. Finally, one of his gloved hands swept across her shoulder and took her chin, lifting her face up to examine. “Nothing more, my dear. My mission is now complete.” It was only assumed by Dahlia that she would not leave the apartment in anything but a body bag now.
“Revenge against me is worthless, Crane.” She tried to keep a firm voice, but it wavered more and more with each time she opened her mouth. “I’m only one person, one girl. What’s revenge on one person?” And she realized at that point that she had probably highly underestimated Crane’s plans. Her eyes slowly widened as she saw his narrow with sarcastic curiosity.
“Only one person, you say?”
Though her muscles wouldn’t obey, Dahlia still attempted an attack. Her arm lifted in the air and she brought her elbow as hard as she could at Crane’s shoulder, but he had caught her arm and spun her around, flinging her to the hard floor with a grunt. She crawled quickly, trying to get away as she heard his soft footsteps nonchalantly following her. Lou kept a handgun hidden in every room in case of those type of situations, and Dahlia found one taped under the coffee table a few feet away. She pulled it off, clicked the safety off, then pivoted onto her side and pointed the gun straight out at Crane, who paused in his steps. “Stay back!” She barked, as she continued to pull herself back, too scared to even lift herself off the ground. Instead she sat up against the nearby wall, never taking her eyes away from the maniac’s.
This Scarecrow must have been completely out of his mind! Only that pause, and then he continued forward! The gun in Dahlia’s shaking hand never pointed away from his body. “Stop!” She tried again to subdue him. “This is your last warning!” The Scarecrow was so close, if he had taken one more step forward, he would have run into her. Directly over her, he crouched down slowly, until the barrel of the handgun was resting on his chest. Dahlia gave a silent gasp as she saw him do this. Silent at first, all they did was stare at each other, Dahlia whimpering in his shadow.
“Shoot me!” He commanded. But the nagging feeling in her arms kept her finger from squeezing the trigger. She couldn’t do it. Sobbing, her arm relaxed and fell into her lap, her eyes shutting tightly. She felt him take the gun from her, and a moment later, felt the barrel resting on her temple. Quieting herself, she looked up at him with red eyes, her lips quivering. “These bullets aren’t meant for you, Dahlia. I have more use for you ... But if you don’t cooperate with me, they’ll be used on your father, who, as we speak, is being safely transported to my hidden abode.”
“Don’t hurt him. I’ll do whatever you want, but, don’t hurt him.” The Scarecrow pulled the gun away from her head and crossed his arm over his chest, the weapon pointed at the ceiling. Craning his head forward slightly, his bright eyes lit up as he replied maliciously,
“Terrific!” He stood up and shoved the gun into the back of his belt, then leaned down and grabbed the back of Dahlia’s blouse. “I’m so glad we’re together again, Dahlia. Did I tell you that?” Like a caveman, he headed out, dragging Dahlia behind him on the floor. No matter how she kicked and struggled, even to merely stand up, he kept a steady pace and took long strides all the way down to the street. The front door of the apartment lay open, with only the light of the hallway streaming inside its empty rooms.
“Oh ya!” The skinny young black-haired boy, probably only a few years older than Dahlia, continued. “Dr. Crane said you put up a pretty good fight, and to not underestimate you.” Finally she recognized him; He was the medic from the party. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that they must have been the duo that the Scarecrow escaped with. It was sickening to think that her business with Crane was not resting.
“I’m afraid that’s a bit late, Art.” Kek approached Dahlia from behind, looking down at his hand, which he ran under his nose several times to check for blood. He stopped several feet behind her, giving her enough room to not squirm in panic. Finding no blood emerging from his nostrils, he looked back up with the same smile he usually showed off. “Dahlia, I’d like you to meet Artemis. A master of medicine and an expert of offense.” Art exposed a somewhat child-like, lopsided, but crazed grin. “And my real name is Jack. Sorry about the deception.”
“So what, ‘That’s okay, let’s be friends’?” Dahlia hissed back angrily.
“No, actually ... We need you, I’m afraid.” Jack’s smile spread into a grin, as his feet took tiny, slow steps forward with his palms out. As he continued speaking, most likely explaining their needs, Dahlia glanced around to find a way out. There was no way she’d be agile enough to squish past either of them to freedom. Looking up, she noticed that the bookcases at each of her sides were just barely several feet below the ceiling; Plenty of room for a person of her build to slip by.
Like lightning, she ran towards the bookcase parallel to the cement wall and scrambled up it, books flying off their shelves with each strong planting of her foot. Jack and Art both shouted out in surprise as they ran for her and tried to grab her heels. Jack got another whack in the face by the heel of Dahlia’s shoe, while Art arrived to late to try and stop her. Exchanging panicked words that she didn’t pay any attention to, both ran to opposite ends of the corridor as she slipped down to the other side ... yet did not let go. She waited until both were occupied trying to get to the next aisle, then she pulled herself back over and landed safely on the ground. She sprinted to the end nearest the exit.
“Where did she go!” Artemis almost screamed as he slid to a stop, realizing that Dahlia was not in sight.
“... Wait, she climbed back over to the other side!” Jack replied as he already began running back. But again, the two reached the first corridor again and Dahlia was not there. Only the sound of the heavy front door of the library opening caught their attention, and both cursed themselves as complete fools.
Dahlia never looked behind her, nor slowed her pace as she made her way back home. She called herself an idiot and a brat for having disregarded her father’s warnings. It was so arrogant of her to think that the city was large enough to protect her! She should have known that the Scarecrow was far more intelligent than that! Would he have the chance, he would take her, and he almost did! She swore to not make that mistake again. That stupid, stupid mistake.
Back at the apartment, she swung the front door open and immediately called, “Dad! Dad, I’m sorry! You were totally right, and I ...” Entering with deep heaving breaths, she looked around the living room and towards her parent’s bedroom for signs of where Lou was. All the light’s were out. He wasn’t home? There was just no way he would leave the building without her being back safely. Dahlia backed up towards the front door, ready to explore the building to ask her few friendly neighbors of where he may have gone. But as she reached for the edge of the door to pull it shut behind her, it swung closed on its own, slamming shut and rattling the windows. Behind it stood the grim and ghoulishly clad, ragged figure of the Scarecrow.
Not only was he with the exact same mask, but now had fashioned a complete costume, with matching pants, a shirt, shoes, a knee-length coat, and a hat. He truly did look like something out of a cornfield, and yet for such an appearance that one could call silly, it terrified Dahlia. He was here in her apartment once again, now a well-known madman, with more dangerous followers than before. Those brilliant blue orbs of his that had once held such meaning to her now gave her fear.
It was hard enough to look upon him, but it was even more difficult to hear that silky voice of his. “Dahlia, Dahlia ... My love. Finally, after eight long months apart, we are together once again.”
“Don’t touch me.” He had stepped forward with his hands out, but she shuffled back. The fear had, literally, seized her muscles that she could barely move. She wanted to run, either to the fire escape or somehow maneuver around him to get out, but she could barely even walk.
“Oh, come now, Dahlia. I know how you feel about me ...” The command didn’t register in him, and he continued forward. His hand was so close, he could have grabbed her by then. Yet he did not. He wanted to toy with her first.
“I felt for you at one point, Crane. But not anymore. You are nothing to me.” As much as she tried to stop, Dahlia silently wept.
“Ah ... You’ve a new male to rely on? Hmm?” Behind his mask, the shift under the cloth indicated a raising of his eyebrows and a smile on his face.
“What do you want from me?”
He had backed her up into the kitchen counter. Finally, one of his gloved hands swept across her shoulder and took her chin, lifting her face up to examine. “Nothing more, my dear. My mission is now complete.” It was only assumed by Dahlia that she would not leave the apartment in anything but a body bag now.
“Revenge against me is worthless, Crane.” She tried to keep a firm voice, but it wavered more and more with each time she opened her mouth. “I’m only one person, one girl. What’s revenge on one person?” And she realized at that point that she had probably highly underestimated Crane’s plans. Her eyes slowly widened as she saw his narrow with sarcastic curiosity.
“Only one person, you say?”
Though her muscles wouldn’t obey, Dahlia still attempted an attack. Her arm lifted in the air and she brought her elbow as hard as she could at Crane’s shoulder, but he had caught her arm and spun her around, flinging her to the hard floor with a grunt. She crawled quickly, trying to get away as she heard his soft footsteps nonchalantly following her. Lou kept a handgun hidden in every room in case of those type of situations, and Dahlia found one taped under the coffee table a few feet away. She pulled it off, clicked the safety off, then pivoted onto her side and pointed the gun straight out at Crane, who paused in his steps. “Stay back!” She barked, as she continued to pull herself back, too scared to even lift herself off the ground. Instead she sat up against the nearby wall, never taking her eyes away from the maniac’s.
This Scarecrow must have been completely out of his mind! Only that pause, and then he continued forward! The gun in Dahlia’s shaking hand never pointed away from his body. “Stop!” She tried again to subdue him. “This is your last warning!” The Scarecrow was so close, if he had taken one more step forward, he would have run into her. Directly over her, he crouched down slowly, until the barrel of the handgun was resting on his chest. Dahlia gave a silent gasp as she saw him do this. Silent at first, all they did was stare at each other, Dahlia whimpering in his shadow.
“Shoot me!” He commanded. But the nagging feeling in her arms kept her finger from squeezing the trigger. She couldn’t do it. Sobbing, her arm relaxed and fell into her lap, her eyes shutting tightly. She felt him take the gun from her, and a moment later, felt the barrel resting on her temple. Quieting herself, she looked up at him with red eyes, her lips quivering. “These bullets aren’t meant for you, Dahlia. I have more use for you ... But if you don’t cooperate with me, they’ll be used on your father, who, as we speak, is being safely transported to my hidden abode.”
“Don’t hurt him. I’ll do whatever you want, but, don’t hurt him.” The Scarecrow pulled the gun away from her head and crossed his arm over his chest, the weapon pointed at the ceiling. Craning his head forward slightly, his bright eyes lit up as he replied maliciously,
“Terrific!” He stood up and shoved the gun into the back of his belt, then leaned down and grabbed the back of Dahlia’s blouse. “I’m so glad we’re together again, Dahlia. Did I tell you that?” Like a caveman, he headed out, dragging Dahlia behind him on the floor. No matter how she kicked and struggled, even to merely stand up, he kept a steady pace and took long strides all the way down to the street. The front door of the apartment lay open, with only the light of the hallway streaming inside its empty rooms.
And I'll update when I get the chance. Almost done with the next part, but work and a recent "field trip" the other day set me behind.
