Disclaimer:  None of these characters belong to me.  I’m not making a cent using 
them.  This fell out of my own head.  I’d invite you in, but if you play with 
the devil, the devil don’t change, the devil changes you.  You never know, maybe 
if I shake it real hard some more will fall out.

Author’s note.  I was wondering how Babs was dealing with being shot.  I know 
it’s been a while, and I hope I don’t step on any toes with this.  I know the 
grammar kind of runs together in some places, but part of this is a dream and is 
not subject to the same rules of the universe as other things are.  Please give 
feedback at JKTMN@aol.com.  Thank you.  P.S. Jody, Syl, love your work and it’s 
great reading.  Thanks for inspiration.  Oh yeah, I don’t want to forget 
Recceanna.  Didn’t want to forget you.  Thanks for reading this first.

***

Nitemares
by Gentleman Jack (JKTMN@aol.com.)

***

It’s the same dream again.  It starts out nice enough.  Just me jogging through 
the park near the library.  The trees stand out and the breeze is cooling my 
face.  The blood is pounding in my ears and my legs are kind of achy, but not in 
a bad way.

Suddenly a peace flows over me and everything is so clear.  It’s easier to 
breathe and there’s no pain in my legs.  There really is a runners high and I 
can feel it now.  I begin to run faster and faster and the world just flies by 
and suddenly it’s dark all around me and people are starring at me as I run.  
They are so close, I could touch them if I put my arms up.  But they don’t stop 
me from running.

At first, I don’t know the people.  Then they seem to know me and they are 
talking to me, but I can’t hear what they are saying.  Dick and Bruce and Daddy 
and so many more are there and it’s like I’m running in place and can’t get 
anywhere.  I beg them to let me keep running, I don’t want to stop, ever.  It’s 
the best feeling in the world.  Please let me go!

Then, out of the darkness, a painted face rises above all of the other faces, 
and begins laughing.  I try to keep running, but I’m not going anywhere.  The 
laughing is getting louder and louder , but I’m the only one who can hear it.  
Please daddy, make him stop laughing, Dick, where are you?  Louder and louder.  
Please oh please, Batman turn around, he’s right there, make him stop.  A huge 
gun rises up in front of me and the Joker is pointing it  right at me.  The 
laughing is hurting my ears now.  Daddy, please help me.  Now I can run again, 
but the barrel of the gun is so huge in front of me and,  now I can’t stop, and 
I run into it.  I’m slipping on the curves of the inside of the barrel, falling, 
struggling to get up,  trying to find a way out.

I know what’s coming and I have to get out of there.  I see light ahead and 
begin to make my way towards it hoping to get away.  I see Dick and Batman 
trying to get to me and Daddy is with them.  Everything is in slow motion, and 
just as I’m about to reach them,  I hear the laughing and the hammer fall and 
the pin strike the bullet primer and a screaming is racing towards me and 
smashes into me and suddenly I’m encased in something I can’t get ahold of.  
Dick, please.  I’m screaming now and it hurts my ears.  Please Daddy!

Someone is grabbing me and I try to fight back, sobbing and crying and unable to 
breathe.  I begin to hear voices now.  It’s my dad, please Daddy help me.  I 
keep flailing my arms around not realizing the dream is over and my dad is 
trying to free me from my sheets and calm me at the same time.

“Barbara....Barbara....Daddy’s here.  Please, baby. It was only a nightmare.”  I 
can finally breath a little between sobs and dad steps into the bathroom to get 
a glass of water for me.

I try to straighten the sheets, but they’ve become wrapped up in my legs and I 
begin crying again as I can’t free them.  Dad comes back in and helps me get 
free and sits against the headboard next to me with a cool washcloth and a glass 
of water.  I’m so tired and my hands are shaking, so I spill a little of the 
water on my already sweat-drenched pajamas.  As I settle  down some more, daddy 
wipes my forehead and face and straightens my hair back.  

Dad holds me like he did when I was a little girl and the shadows kept me from 
sleeping,  stroking my hair and humming old songs till I drift off to sleep.