Once upon a time there was a young girl named Delilah. Delilah wasn't like most girls her age. Delilah had a secret. A secret that that her parents had tried to hide from the rest of the world since the day she could speak. A secret that caused an entire middle school to burn to the ground without any explanation. A secret that if revealed, could destroy any chance of a normal life that her parents had hoped for Delilah. A secret that could put her in a padded cell for the rest of her life... You see, Delilah likes fire. Bright, lucid, blistering fire. The way it danced and flowed into the air. The way in sizzled and lured her eyes into submission. It calls for her... tells her to feed it's endless hunger. The fire is the only thing that brings a stop to the pain. How Delilah hates the pain. The nagging, elusive tapping it forces upon her. It leaves her wanting more. She hurts without the warm, comforting embers. The charred smokey refines. The hot, sticky chaos. It gives her strength to carry on. It's a drug that feeds her body. It's another heart that beats loud from inside her chest. It's her life and all that she lives for.
GOTHAM CITY - OUTSIDE OF ARKHAM ASYLUM
There's no excuse for my behavior. No villainous reasoning behind my actions. No twisted logic that protects me from myself.
Delilah is planted on the cold, dirty floor. Her long, jet black hair falls to the side as her head turns in amazement. Her legs are crossed and her arms are folded beneath her jacket. She shivers as the cold carbon dioxide departs from her chapped lips into the air in the form of a hazy mist that lasts no longer than a second. Her irises glow like a yellow jewel set in front of the bright crimson sun.
I'm a bad person and I know it.
Red and blue lights flash in the distance as a speeding fire truck pulls up in front of burning building. ARKHAM ASYLUM reads the gated sign in front of the merciless inferno. As soon as the vehicle comes to a complete stop, Delilah calmly stands from her seat and reaches into her small backpack. From beneath her clenched fist, she pulls out a green bottle decorated with a small white cloth dripping out of the circular crevice. With her other hand she pulls a shiny, silver lighter out of her pocket and lifts the hatch, creating a small glittery flame. A slow uneasy smile forms from beneath her nose and without a second thought, she lights the white cloth on fire with her lighter and tosses the bottle at the fire truck. The truck implodes into a chaotic firestorm.
How dare they try to stop it so soon. I have worked hard for tonight. Too hard for them to just come in and ruin all my fun. I still have three bottles left. That's three more buildings that await my kiss. My kiss of fire. My kiss of death.
Five firefighters dip and plunge out of the vehicle as the massive flames wrestle with them to the ground. Their bodies are completely engulfed as they try to free themselves from their eminent doom.
How beautiful this is... I envy them. They get to hold it. Caress it. Be apart of it.
The grass begins to blow and shift from a gentle calm to a fierce wind that blows her hair in an uncontrollable manner. She barely notices the loud engine, before both Batman and Robin drop from the sky.
NO! NOT NOW.
Delilah immediately turns to retrieve one of her bottles but to her surprise is stopped by a tight grasp on her forearm. It is Batman. He tightens his grip when his eyes meet hers. She doesn't struggle. She knows it's over. But like a dog who has just eaten a savory bone, she is left unsatisfied but thankful. Thankful that she had at least gotten the chance to feed her urge. Thankful for the glittery massacre before her. She leaves Batman's gaze to see Robin extinguish the firemen's fires, saving there lives in the process. She knows she will pay for her crimes. She knows, but right now all she can do is smile.
GCPD 13th PRECINCT
GCPD Speaker: Delilah Mead. Age, 22. In custody for four counts of arson and one-hundred and eighty-seven counts of murder. As of now we suspect no conspiracy and treat this as a random act of violence. Ms. Mead had just been released from Arkham Asylum after a fifteen year hold in the facility and was thought to be fully recovered from her pyromania. As soon as Ms. Mead left the vicinity, it is suspected that she went into the city, where she purchased various objects ranging from wine bottles and cloth napkins, to a lighter and some new cloths. It is believed at this time that Ms. Mead traveled back to Arkham and then preceded to make molotov cocktails, which was then used to set fire to the building. Soon after the incident, first responders arrived to the the scene to be greeted by one of Mead's molotovs. Shortly after that, Batman arrived to the scene and apprehended Mead as well as extinguished the firefighters, saving their lives. As of now it is expected that there were no survivors from the initial fire. At this time I will be taking questions.
News Reporter: So does this mean that Joker and Two-Face as well as all of Gotham's other prime criminals are dead?
GCPD Speaker: We have found and identified the remains of both Joker and Dent as well as most of the the repeat offenders of priority and organized crime. Chances are if you have read about them in the paper, they are dead.
WAYNE MANOR - BATCAVE
Batman: This girl murders one-hundred and eighty-seven people and they chant her name in the streets and talk about throwing a parade for her.They call her Gotham's final solution... their savior.
Robin: Well, she did manage to do in ten minutes what you couldn't do in ten years.
Batman: Yes, but at what cost? I had them all figured out. I had everything I needed to know to fight this war. Not now. Not anymore. This is a brand new game. New spots are going to be filled and I have no clue or idea where to begin. Suit up. We have a long night ahead of us.
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