Chapter 14: Tuesday 20th February

I could feel the bitter cold wind snap at my face when I walked off the bus. Dirt from the unclean streets wavered around my feet as I walked down the path. My hand went to cover a yawn escaping my mouth. I was quite happy that I took Robin's advice this morning and went to bed, even if I didn't get much sleep anyhow.

The dingle of a tiny bell sounded when I opened the door of the diner. A few fans rotated above me, while people in white uniforms stood behind, and next to, light wooden furniture. The pace was almost empty, meaning took mere seconds to discover the person who I was here to meet.

"Hey." I said, sitting down across from her.

"Hello." Rachel greeted in response. "Sorry I wasn't at school today, there was a little emergency at home, nothing to worry about though."

"It's alright. Rose was good company."

She smiled slightly. "You know, you're one of the very few people Rose takes a liking to."

"Well, I'm glad.

I tilted my neck sideways, trying to relieve the pain of the small cramp that had found its way into the sore spot. The stinging of the needles Robin injected had come back to haunt me during the hours of my second day at school. One which hadn't been exciting as the first.

I focused back on Rachel. "So, I called you here because I needed to ask you about something..." I said.

"Go on." She responded, unsure of what to expect.

"Well, when we first shook hands, I noticed a very strong magic current running through you."

She nodded slowly. "I felt the same thing coming from you."

"Yeah, so I'm just going to go straight to the point," I deemed, "have you been turning into a black cat and following me around?"

Rachel looked at me strangely, leaning away slightly in her seat. "Um, no. What makes you think that."

I exhaled a long breath I'd been holding. "Well, you see, it's just that over the past few weeks I've been noticing I'm being followed by a black cat with deep purple eyes..."

"And when you looked into mine, felt the magical current, you assumed it was me." She finished.

"Yeah." I admitted, turning my head away a little.

"Like I said, I'm not this cat you talk about. But if you think that something isn't right, maybe you should investigate it."

I considered her advice. "Yeah." I said. "Yeah, maybe I should." I stood up, putting a five dollar bill on the table. "I'll see you at school tomorrow." I told Rachel.

"Okay, bye." She responded as I headed back out the door.

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I wasn't sure what I'd find here. I wasn't even sure what I hoped to find here. But it was one of the few places that could perhaps offer me some answers.

As I stood in the hallway of my old apartment building, I registered all of the chaotic mess that surrounded me. Police had blocked off the entire building, evacuated the minority of the residents; ones that hadn't been injured.

There was a dent in the wall, where I was thrown into. I could still remember the pain of the impact, but the worst moment of all was when the fire finally caught up to me.

I shook of the memories, retaining the thoughts and trying to focus on the task at hand. I trod along the broken bots off floor, stepping over the holes that bore black ash marks around the circumference.

I held my breath when I saw it. It was just laying there, outside my door, almost ruined beyond repair. I walked forward slowly, then bent down to carefully pick it up.

The photo was of me and Zoella, when we had just escaped the orphanage. It was singed around the edges, but the image was still clear enough to see. We were both smiling, happy to finally be free. It was outside of furniture store, where we had recently gone in and looked at all the magnificent things we were one day going to buy.

I couldn't help it, a tear slid down my cheek. My breath grew ragged in my throat, coming in and out in short gasps instead of its usual steady flow. Then, the memory came back, clear as day.

We were walking in an alley back from park, Zoella and I. Her tall, slender figure beheld hair just as long and dark as a raven's, while mine was as red as blood. She held my hand as we trotted along, reminding me of the support she had offered over the years. Even though she was three years older to my nine year old self, we got along like best friends, but were as close as sisters.

There was a cool breeze flowing throughout Gotham that evening. It was nice, a change from the usual harsh, bitter wind that constantly plagued the city. You wouldn't think of anything bad happening on a night like this, but children were so often deceived by their surroundings.

Zoella tensed up as we neared the entry to the dim street. She pulled me closer towards her, dragging a long blade out from under the back of her shirt. An evil cackle disturbed the peaceful air And Zoella held my hand even tighter.

"Zoe..." I whimpered.

"Shhh honey, be quiet." She whispered in reply.

A figure emerged from around the corner, blocking our way onto the street, our exit. His sickly green hair hand carelessly over his eyes. He walked weirdly, like a puppet on stage. His blood red lips were shaped in menacing smile, adding even more fright to the glinting knife he twirled in his fingers.

"Joker." Zoella muttered to herself.

Footsteps sounded behind us. When I turned my head I saw at lest ten men dressed in masks painted like The Joker's face. I held my breath and edged closer to Zoella.

"It's time for revenge, little girl." Joker chuckled as he approached.

Zoella looked around, a bit too calm considering the situation. Joker and his minions advanced on us, wielding weapons from knives to guns.

Zoella pushed me to the side, slamming me into the alleyway wall. I back up against it as far as I could. Half of Joker's minions came surrounding me. My breathing was fast and my legs were shaking, never before had I been in a situation like this one.

A vibration occurred throughout my body, staring from my stomach and reaching outwards into the depths of my skin. I could no longer see my body, but I could feel it, sense it somehow. The scene in front of me was still unmistakably visible though. I couldn't feel my heartbeat, it wasn't racing against all. My gasping breath and and my trembling fingers, all was gone. But it felt normal; right.

The men that encircled me had given up trying to find me, now helping hound upon Zoella. I tried to scream at her, yell a warning to run, run away and don't look back. But no sound travelled from mouth. Everything was silent.

I tried to scan again as The Joked plunged his knife into Zoella's chest. I sank to my knees, even thigh there were none, and watched in horror as her limo body fell to the fell, now empty of life.

Another figure dropped from above. This one was tall, broad, and frightening. His black cape shadowed his back, and his midnight coloured mask covered his face. He exchanged a minor words with The Joker, before The Joker turned in his heel and ran.

Batman knelt down beside my deceased friend, turning his head, looking around, possibly for someone else. When they were not found, he picked up Zoella's body, and disappeared into the night.

I just sat there, in the cold brick wall, trying to process the events that had recently happened before me. I didn't move, I didn't make a sound, I didn't even regain my physical form. Not that I knew how to at that precise moment.

Though in the window above, I spotted a silhouette, a ghost of a figure watching me from its lair. I took notice of its deep, purple eyes, but didn't give it much though, and went back to mourning my oldest friend.

The memory hit me like without brakes. That cat, that stupid, God damned cat had been there the night Zoella died, the night I went on the run.

I grabbed my phone out of my pocket, hitting speed dial and waiting for answer.

"Hello?" The voice greeted on the other end.

"Robin, it's me." I took a deep breath. "I need your help with something."

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Hello!

Who else thinks I'm on a roll with my updates? The holidays have been kind to me, plenty of time to write. Sorry for my chapters being mostly dialogue lately, but it had to happen to make the story continue. I've tried to add a little more description in here thigh, so I hope you like it.

And, I couldn't see to upload the picture of the calendar I made with all the chapters and when they occur, so was thinking of putting the dates at the start of each chapter, or maybe in the chapter title? Tell me what I should do. I literally have no idea right now.

So, I went to see The Equaliser, and I realised half way through the movie that the girl was the same girl from Kick Ass. What movies have you seen lately that you recommend to watch!? Also, I'm now reading Game Of Thrones, just finished the second chapter (not even close to finishing).

I apologise for always making my authors notes so long, but I just like to type. Same with writing in pen, I secretly get excited at school when we take notes.

So thanks for reading and hopefully the next chapter will be up no longer then the end of the week.

P.S: does anyone reading design covers? Or know anyone that does? Because I really need a cover for my new Snow White Story but I don't where to start, I've made al, the other covers of my books myself, but I don't want to do that for this one. And I can't draw soo... Yeah. Please tell if you do