Comminate

CHAPTER ONE

It was dark.

Not so dark she couldn't see, but dark enough to freak her out, even just a little bit. She could see the outline of the long, gravel road in front of her, going over a bridge and into a city that she knew too well.

She was on the outskirts of Gotham.

A soft breeze brushed back a wavy piece of blonde hair over her shoulder, and it carried the heavy scent of rain. She looked in the direction of its origins, and saw that dark, angry clouds were rolling over the sky, across the bright stars and moon. It was strange she could see them, normally the smog and the city lights completely drowned them out.

As they ominous clouds rolled closer, rumbling thunder grew louder and louder, enough that it seemed to shake her very spine. Bright flashes appeared across it, crackling lightning beginning to threaten everything around her. Soon, the clouds were upon her, and with them, a heavy rain fell in sheets. But she couldn't feel it soaking her skin.

She took a step forward, and that was when she noticed it.

The rain was red.

It was dark red, like the blood coming from a heavy laceration. It pounded down, tinting everything it touched with burgundy. Soon, the entire surface of the trees, the bridge, and the road in front of her were coated in it.

Her hands raised in front of her face, and she saw in shock that the red rain was coating them, soaking her clothing, matting her hair. She took several steps forward, approaching the riverbank with a mounting sense of fear and dread.

Finally, she came upon it, took a deep breath, and looked into the water.

And nearly screamed.

Despite the heavy rain, she could see her reflection so clearly, it was like looking in a mirror. She was covered in the red rain; it stained her white t-shirt and jeans, it got under her fingernails, it ran in her eyes. As it covered her face, its heavy metallic scent stung her nose, and that's when she realized.

It wasn't red rain. It was blood.

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Brrriiiinng! Brriiiinnnng!

The blaring alarm jolted her from her dream, and she bolted from her pillow, breathing erratic, as her eyes adjusted around her.

The alarm had brought on the lights, and her partner across the room groaned loudly, rolling out of his bunk. Sitting on the edge, Mason nodded at the clock as he pulled his jacket on.

"Why does shit always happen between midnight and four in the morning?" He grumbled, but stood none the less, jamming his feet into his boots and moving to jog out the door. "Get your ass up, Cas, we gotta go!"

She heard him get on the radio, asking dispatch for the reason for the call, as she sat up and jammed her own feet into her boots. Moving to the coat rack, she grabbed the jacket that read C. Gordon, EMT-A in bold white letters against the black fabric and began fixing her long, blonde ponytail as she hightailed it to their truck. Jumping in, she turned the key as the engine rolled to life, the garage door of the station rumbling up as Mason jumped into the front seat next to her. The rain had stopped, thankfully, as she flicked the switch and the lights and sirens on the ambulance roared to life.