No sleep for the wicked

chapter 37- Finding Humanity In This Hell

Ashleigh’s POV

Water flooded through the abandoned tunnel system was the water poured above us. I could hear the rush of it from the tent I was being held captive in; I looked at Bane who was meditating in the darkest corner of the tent. I sighed and pushed myself up from the stiff bed, candles lined the room as natural light was no longer entering the old Gotham subway. The light from the flames gave a warming glow, which was almost like the warmth of hope. I clutched the rough leather jacket to my body and moved towards the group of candles which littered the corner of the tent opposite bane. I sat close to the candles as the flames flickered with my every breath; it almost felt religious kneeling here in front of candles in such a quiet place.  I let my eyes drift to a close; I could feel the warmth of the candles on my face. I slowly re opened my eyes, and sighed lightly, “does it make you feel safe to be in the light?” I looked at the dark hulking mass in the corner of the tent, and then back to the flickering flames of the candles, “yes it does make me feel safe.” I heard Bane shift from his corner to approach mine, “the darkness makes me feel safe, it moulded me into what I am today.” He opened his arms out, which showed his every muscle in the warm light of the candles.

Even though the warm light seemed to feel safe to me I knew I was still being held captive, and this monster in front of me was my captor. I looked away from the muscled beast in front of me and back to the burning light of the candles in front of me. Bane turned his back towards me as he applied his armour, I slowly unclasped a hand from the leather jacket which surrounded me and gently trailed my finger of the naked flame of the candle, the flames singed my fingers slightly as the flames brushed my fingers. I looked back to Bane who was now making his way over to the stiff bloody bed; the springs creaked under his muscled form. I turned away from him as my fingers began viciously burn under the flame. I drew my fingers away quickly and inspected them in the heated glow of the candles. I hissed slightly, at the pain of myself inflicted burns; suddenly Banes heavy hand grasped my shoulder and heaved me away from my sanctuary of light. He pushed me onto the mattress, as he stood, I clutched my inflicted burns to my chest and turned my face away from Bane, “what are you hoping to achieve by inflicting yourself with burns?” he forcefully grabbed my hand away from my chest, which only led to my cry of pain, as I could feel the tender skin of my burned fingers begin to blister. I tried to pull away my pained hand, but this only caused Bane to pull me up harshly from the bloody mattress, and make me stare him in his black destructive eyes.

I looked into his dark eyes to see more than just killer instinct. Soon I felt Bane let go of my burned hand, as my features softened. His hand dropped to his side, as he turned his gaze away from me. For the one second in that light I didn’t see a killer I saw a man who had been thrown into a world of darkness, a man who had suffered unimaginable pain. As Bane turned his body away from mine I grabbed his hand, what was I doing? I stood facing the man I feared, hoping that I would see that flash of humanity I saw only I moment ago. As I pulled my hand away from Bane’s, his other rose up to my cheek, “do not expect sympathy or humanity from me.” Suddenly his hand roughly slipped from my cheek, I stood frozen. I couldn’t move my body, but I could feel hot molten tears spill down my cheeks, “both of these things make an ordinary man weak, but I am no ordinary man.” His metallic rasp shattered through me like a hammer to a plain of glass. I collapsed onto the stiff mattress below me and held myself close; as I knew I wouldn’t find any humanity from anyone in this god forsaken place. This place was for men just like Bane, monsters. Men who only seek to destroy everything in their path, even if it means never having any humanity. “You’re a monster.” I growled through my clenched teeth, Bane’s sever rasp echoed in the quiet tunnels, “finally you have come to understand what I really am.” His whole body wracked as he laughed, at my hope of finding humanity in this hell.