Jason woke up and found himself lying in a hospital bed.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriZv4YyLnh
The bed was dim, the sheets looked… grayish—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKJHQ3Vx7m
he wasn’t sure if it was the lighting or if they simply hadn’t been washed.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlRaE27pOt
Everything felt faded and dull.
He moved a little.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvx1NIAeQ3Y
The frame creaked,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTTDl1S8BT
like the bones of an old house.
He raised a hand and touched the top of his head.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucN6zjxj3B
His hair and forehead were wrapped in bandages—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTvLEOFCDV
tight, damp, and sore.
Then the memories started coming back.
Last night,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULAvy7h3Pq
the drunk had come home.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfSfQfuKpq
Jason had been doing homework under the sliver of light that came through the window.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Tf5GxFh7N
He was using the charity notebook from social services,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBy7bM2QSRD
and his pencil was worn down to just two fingers long.
He remembered how the light hit the page,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy93s7WZ79Q
like that one little square of the world was still clean.
The drunk came in muttering,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIR40DNSCB
repeating curses like a broken record.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKby2wVppp
He shouted about Jason’s “whore mother,”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2vepozdRR
how she had used her body to escape the slums and go to medical school,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1RRkcPCpM
and never sent a cent back.
His voice was thick,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1tbNexzqf
like spit phlegm—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAiIaHMHsN
sticky, sour,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFZXUmIqhB
and heavy enough to make your chest ache.
Jason had tried to ignore it.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5EI6Ez2Ly
But that night,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2ORyWcnoe
for some reason,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSPSEBYHm4L
he talked back.
Maybe he was tired.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2u1A2ZiBb
Maybe the light had been too gentle,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQe3YTLzHlv
and for a second,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcSz3XvRLG
he thought he could be a normal kid—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOCpxiq31O
do homework,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmTjUPn4hX
eat dinner,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQgqwNwTDD
not get hit.
The man snapped.
That wasn’t unusual.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlR2OEjFnRk
Violence was always close by in this house.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oOcJ4yMdx
But that night,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9UICxW9VY
he found something under Jason’s books.
It was a paper batarang.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqqYDJ8EBgK
Nana had made it for his birthday.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PDAWtibnH
She’d dug through junk piles to find the right paper—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EOAveaBKp
just the right shine,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJarRQIhoE
strong enough to fold without tearing.
Jason loved it.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZQIa2kfyv
He carried it with him everywhere.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRuC066FLi
Sometimes he’d hold it up to the sunlight just to watch.
The old man picked it up.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSBDnjSoT3
Jason shouted.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAejF7LhAhl
Told him to give it back.
The man didn’t.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24c2uGzPgG
Instead, he gave that gap-toothed smile—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugzXG6GVBt
and, right in front of Jason,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVp5ONTWr6
crumpled the batarang in his hand.
The sound was soft—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcrZovGL0W
just paper crunching.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYnw2SoRRl
But to Jason,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4nyh6xjTs
it felt like bones breaking.
He lost it.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfBSCa5H6Q
Threw himself at the man,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YwOlpAkKV
bit his hand.
The man roared.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeMftK8xGZ
The bottle came down.
Then—nothing.
15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsFobUfre2
When Jason came back to himself,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3E1HjNmWnk
a doctor walked in.
He recognized the man.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOj2TLGck6
The unlicensed doctor from down the street.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWHvPCSbTn
Rumor was he used to be decent at medicine15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTy2TyDPS8Q
until he crossed the wrong gang and disappeared into this neighborhood.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXSOJTxE3hI
He wore layers of torn coats,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpw8Q3NGMq
his hair matted,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpGARN0PYC
his smell a strange mix of chemicals and old collars.
“Oh, you’re up!” the doctor said, grinning casually.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgJ19NsoZ8
“Looks like you’re recovering pretty well.”
He walked closer, flipping through a small stack of papers,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJpYIr786y
his tone almost lazy.
“School’s almost out.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJHGGlqFWr
That little girl will be here soon.”
Jason turned.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceHmlVmlBY
“You mean… Nana?”
The doctor laughed,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7DZfL2iFfi
a weird little giggle.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSiP9MVP5RW
“Your little girlfriend came by this morning, you know.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKwmpFm4FD
Then she went to class.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdB8VkT8gq
Sweet kid—”
Before he could finish,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5YezaLwUR
a small figure ran into the room.
The girl froze the second she saw Jason awake in bed.
She stood there,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgOdCoN0ZW
like her thoughts hadn’t caught up yet.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFUFfVYMVM
Her eyes were wide and round,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpKC0n93ll
her face flushed red.
Then she rushed to the bed in two quick steps.
She stared down at him,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡET49VAORFm
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.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe81zLBx5pR
He opened his mouth,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NUcqMHKfk
was about to say something—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymGjbNtd3d
when her tears fell.
One after another,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2jtAn4pzQt
like someone had cut a string of pearls loose.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CivXu0hEK
Plink. Plink.
Jason jumped in shock.
“Hey—hey, don’t cry…”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsFJe0DBFG
His voice was softer than usual,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPvGlV3hyW
dry and hoarse.
He looked around frantically for something to wipe her tears.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqfSwZHvBW
Nothing.
So he pulled up his own sleeve—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9sT5lLmGt
his wrist still wrapped in bandages—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjacNfij5j
and carefully reached out15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt04jBpuvyL
to wipe the wet trails on her cheek.
But her tears didn’t stop.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCs38e9hhyU
They only fell faster.
“Please don’t cry… I’m fine.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVYIaC7fCa
Really, I’m fine…”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPyJbE6UIP
His voice got even lower,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvSztBMzi4
like he was afraid to scare her more.
His eyes darted sideways,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAj20Kd5mJV
toward the doctor snickering in the corner.
The doctor clucked his tongue,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvv6euv6BP
turned around,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJtv7f6S5d
and pushed the door open.
“Your girl, your problem.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WnsZJFXXd
I’m not getting involved—”
The door closed.
And just like that,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXj7eQ0sgQ
it was only the two of them in the room.
Jason looked down at Nana,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84bt4LsPSm
still crying silently.
His breath caught in his throat.
He had never seen her cry like this before.
15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPrOUxsZuG
Finally, her tears began to slow.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8w9V4HDx3
Her eyes were still red.
Jason looked at her,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DnSjfynEt
and the weight on his chest finally lifted.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyeRWcZv3O
A little.
He had never seen Nana this emotional before.
“What… what happened yesterday?” he asked.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXMk4Uffok
His voice was tired,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkD1CsxV53
but he was clearly trying not to shake.
Nana raised her hands,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRpEvTF4lO
started signing.
Her fingers trembled a bit,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuYUEhqR4D
but the signs were clear.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbF5fXL6GAq
When she signed “Robin,”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqjxjn8syn
Jason’s breath hitched.
“What did you just say?15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdHYbrlfkK
Sign it again!”
She nodded,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRj6LadroHw
repeated the signs.
“Robin.”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspxXQxRLOo
“Came with me.”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGyLkTKKGH
“Went upstairs.”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHp2aKz5yhe
“Saw you.”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOicNtYV2N
“Took you to doctor.”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADlPAFQqRN
“Guaranteed you’d recover.”15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCFzIs0PTR
“I’ll pay the cost.”
Jason’s blue eyes widened,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAUtBqrGe4
bright with something fierce,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rNmrIvj4v
almost wild.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56fTkdb2le
It was like flames had started to flicker inside them,15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLTDBgNDl1
catching light with each word.
He was replaying every sign in his head.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLhSSBLq8z
Double-checking the meaning.
Nana nodded again.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi13Y8ZOYGL
As if to say: You got it right.
Robin really had come.
He had really come here—15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhNNKPTl7t
to this place with cracked walls and broken doors.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ae5ZDUZra
Like a storybook hero stepping into the real world.
He saw Jason.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaCBSH0CMq
Saved him.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoDpIqwkMK
And left.
15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnz5n5TYDdM
