Jason woke up and found himself lying in a hospital bed.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqUX5ldwjO
The bed was dim, the sheets looked… grayish—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2luPQkuTgM
he wasn’t sure if it was the lighting or if they simply hadn’t been washed.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXjfPS2si6
Everything felt faded and dull.
He moved a little.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfErb7KIr7
The frame creaked,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVCz4GkOR9G
like the bones of an old house.
He raised a hand and touched the top of his head.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvXo96P02G
His hair and forehead were wrapped in bandages—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUfE3CUjsJ
tight, damp, and sore.
Then the memories started coming back.
Last night,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEL0B5xNb7c
the drunk had come home.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrX2w1mTua
Jason had been doing homework under the sliver of light that came through the window.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLsdULXrk0
He was using the charity notebook from social services,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMPxj2wqtl
and his pencil was worn down to just two fingers long.
He remembered how the light hit the page,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLsauJOlxq
like that one little square of the world was still clean.
The drunk came in muttering,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0keljAXSeU
repeating curses like a broken record.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIf5Ptik8j
He shouted about Jason’s “whore mother,”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsteeZuvfMC
how she had used her body to escape the slums and go to medical school,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgz7SjncgJe
and never sent a cent back.
His voice was thick,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIEwQHOOuE
like spit phlegm—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ3AI6KUf6
sticky, sour,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5teZ0JAfvE
and heavy enough to make your chest ache.
Jason had tried to ignore it.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79Ep5gUr6Y
But that night,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEw0F1oJH5n
for some reason,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkerQmP25H8
he talked back.
Maybe he was tired.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePsl1zNwp2
Maybe the light had been too gentle,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzben7SpFXY
and for a second,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2dIUPN3qa
he thought he could be a normal kid—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo36jclcyat
do homework,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzLi53Ku3A
eat dinner,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeb2AxzVnb
not get hit.
The man snapped.
That wasn’t unusual.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJo8IC8wrs
Violence was always close by in this house.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgtr1tmUgy
But that night,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqe9A7wdSKa
he found something under Jason’s books.
It was a paper batarang.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AKNeQE7jf
Nana had made it for his birthday.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQcpU1I0ymv
She’d dug through junk piles to find the right paper—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRwuK82xLO
just the right shine,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCimrfaQgX
strong enough to fold without tearing.
Jason loved it.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TAwpW035S
He carried it with him everywhere.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtUcbIDsgr
Sometimes he’d hold it up to the sunlight just to watch.
The old man picked it up.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCjprB9kzb
Jason shouted.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT51KVTu1s4
Told him to give it back.
The man didn’t.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0DbyhpIBn
Instead, he gave that gap-toothed smile—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkgH889liv
and, right in front of Jason,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7ZOLwNxhP
crumpled the batarang in his hand.
The sound was soft—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8j2fHWo8LE
just paper crunching.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5swvrhb1gR
But to Jason,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Zglv69ZIq
it felt like bones breaking.
He lost it.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutrRZ9W4hg
Threw himself at the man,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpio1QrIVw
bit his hand.
The man roared.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktlTG2zqQ7
The bottle came down.
Then—nothing.
28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoj6WzxTWI
When Jason came back to himself,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCePp2zfVBC
a doctor walked in.
He recognized the man.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnkcARmKhK
The unlicensed doctor from down the street.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiWzoTqj4e
Rumor was he used to be decent at medicine28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRK6ONf5OvF
until he crossed the wrong gang and disappeared into this neighborhood.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKvFAamht8
He wore layers of torn coats,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkqNbCfNPp
his hair matted,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9yHBpAyOC
his smell a strange mix of chemicals and old collars.
“Oh, you’re up!” the doctor said, grinning casually.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1B8DkF8ue
“Looks like you’re recovering pretty well.”
He walked closer, flipping through a small stack of papers,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwXqO9dPEH
his tone almost lazy.
“School’s almost out.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5HA7Ov5lt
That little girl will be here soon.”
Jason turned.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusBLkjT0f9
“You mean… Nana?”
The doctor laughed,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CbyJxuBfY
a weird little giggle.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lkg7Ogo6x
“Your little girlfriend came by this morning, you know.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIKScG4av0
Then she went to class.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoKq0N1U97
Sweet kid—”
Before he could finish,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVnYlH9OsE
a small figure ran into the room.
The girl froze the second she saw Jason awake in bed.
She stood there,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96umTWKrw1
like her thoughts hadn’t caught up yet.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtLmRhbpo5
Her eyes were wide and round,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9m4tsnPIim
her face flushed red.
Then she rushed to the bed in two quick steps.
She stared down at him,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy32ECR8NPX
like she was trying to make sure this wasn’t a dream.
Jason, under her gaze, suddenly didn’t know where to put his hands.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTmsilSXP4
He opened his mouth,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDhP5Aaks0
was about to say something—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDktBdbbuRi
when her tears fell.
One after another,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPORlKUH0ue
like someone had cut a string of pearls loose.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxLT7bwcZ9
Plink. Plink.
Jason jumped in shock.
“Hey—hey, don’t cry…”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6T03ZZBieU
His voice was softer than usual,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tdz1YxZ4e
dry and hoarse.
He looked around frantically for something to wipe her tears.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNOXkIolAP
Nothing.
So he pulled up his own sleeve—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEQ10yn7K2
his wrist still wrapped in bandages—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡguKdhk6gtH
and carefully reached out28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNLhqI4P9a
to wipe the wet trails on her cheek.
But her tears didn’t stop.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS40IaRcDmv
They only fell faster.
“Please don’t cry… I’m fine.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XryCAKL8C
Really, I’m fine…”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHH1QbH0LXL
His voice got even lower,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRM6lkY4HUQ
like he was afraid to scare her more.
His eyes darted sideways,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvKXk3LRpO
toward the doctor snickering in the corner.
The doctor clucked his tongue,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vb4ej1n2C
turned around,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOO8bnJ80Kx
and pushed the door open.
“Your girl, your problem.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3WQ8FrwKm
I’m not getting involved—”
The door closed.
And just like that,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOvWKJbkQJ
it was only the two of them in the room.
Jason looked down at Nana,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mDkT7E2Jw
still crying silently.
His breath caught in his throat.
He had never seen her cry like this before.
28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtbLFGAW7x
Finally, her tears began to slow.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXpxrsdC1w
Her eyes were still red.
Jason looked at her,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1XGc3g96F
and the weight on his chest finally lifted.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPdb2al2ja
A little.
He had never seen Nana this emotional before.
“What… what happened yesterday?” he asked.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Q4wRMN5Zd
His voice was tired,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepZDvSWkA7
but he was clearly trying not to shake.
Nana raised her hands,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlcJtfFX1GX
started signing.
Her fingers trembled a bit,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5dBWMispi
but the signs were clear.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1PpN7kBak
When she signed “Robin,”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gd1xWufQg
Jason’s breath hitched.
“What did you just say?28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWrMHUAVBS
Sign it again!”
She nodded,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhB2pJe1SV0
repeated the signs.
“Robin.”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEK2yqGUhrc
“Came with me.”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJr17RWq0V
“Went upstairs.”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNaPmNuskB
“Saw you.”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5x1UWhUYfl
“Took you to doctor.”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwanlnW2cU
“Guaranteed you’d recover.”28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7Al0vfJTF
“I’ll pay the cost.”
Jason’s blue eyes widened,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YIGUYd6k1
bright with something fierce,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6EdzdkVue
almost wild.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZZNVWzqkN4
It was like flames had started to flicker inside them,28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMN9oQkItOB
catching light with each word.
He was replaying every sign in his head.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatrl0LArJ8
Double-checking the meaning.
Nana nodded again.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1Pp0NGOqV
As if to say: You got it right.
Robin really had come.
He had really come here—28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2U5I8ix9b
to this place with cracked walls and broken doors.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6b9kqFKDF
Like a storybook hero stepping into the real world.
He saw Jason.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLhN0rTCnR
Saved him.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcZ2vOGwNL
And left.
28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡic8b03wDn9
