Part Thirty-Three

Sudden surprise

The beast landed with so much force, the ground shook and the street cracked open. Batman dropped to his knees as the street gave away opening up a sink hole. Water pipes burst and gas lines erupted. Joker held onto a pole on the other side of the sink hole, the bomb in his other hand. The beast growled and slowly bent and lurched forward at Batman, and he lifted his arms up blocking its blow. It thundered and attacked again, grasping Batman and throwing him into a parked car. The impact lifted the car onto two wheels before landing on all fours. Batman crawled to his feet, spitting out blood. Joker cried for his help, Batman looked up at the beast. The creature snarled as its shoulders lifted up and down as it breathed.

 

“Take your time, Batman!” Joker hollered and he felt his grip slip. “It’s not like I have time to spare.”

 

The beast flew at Batman with another blow, Batman countered and their punches met with a clank. Batman heard Joker calling to him again but he couldn’t help. The beast roared and it thrusted its fist at Batman, sending him flying into a wall. He hit the ground with a thud; Batman was slow at getting up. He coughed and knelt forward onto his arms. The monster growled and walked toward him.

 

Batman crawled to his knees and ground quaked, the pole Joker hung unto began to break away from the beasts footfalls. Joker cried out, “Come on Batsy. I need you!” the weight of the canister was too much as he held on. “Time is wasting. I can’t hold on much longer.”

 

The beast attacked again, grasping Batman by the neck and it leaped up into and through the wall of the building. Batman groaned as he rolled onto his side. Rubble fell away from him as he staggered to his feet again. The beast lurched at him again and hammered his armour and Batman again flew out onto the street sliding to a stop. The beast walked out onto the street toward him, Batman looked at Joker hopelessly, he wanted to help and their only chance was slipping away. He stumbled as he struggled to his knees and leaned back on one knee watching the beast come at him. Batman gazed at the hole, as hard as he tried; there was no way of retrieving Joker and the canister. Unknowing what was to happen next, Batman attacked the monster and it again threw him against a parked vehicle.

 

Joker struggled and the pole pulled away some more, tiny pebbles and dirt dropped onto his face. Joker thought of letting go of the canister to keep him from doom, but he decided against it. “Oh for Pete sake, I’ve grown a conscience...” His glove slipped, “drat.” was all he said as he fell.

 

A hand gripped Joker’s wrist tightly, and he looked up with shock as Wonder Woman had pulled him to safety. She took the canister from him staring at it before she looked at him and asked, “What are you doing?”

 

“Oh you know… I was merely hanging around.”

 

The beast growled as it slowly stepped toward him. Batman took his eyes from the hole from where Joker was, and watched as the creature came forward, his thoughts raced through his head. The screams from those he tried to save echoed in his thoughts, the scenes of watching his friends battle played out. It was happier times as they fought alongside him. The moment of his last kiss from Selina, seemed endless. It was a moment he did not want to let go. If he were to die, he wanted this moment forever.

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Author's Note

more to come soon.