Jason awakes in his childhood bedroom. 

 

Lying on the made bed, still in his Red Hood attire. Groggy and weighed down by the sandbags of drug-induced sleep, he gets up and goes into the bathroom. 

 

He splashes water onto his face… and hears a voice…

 

“Dante! Dante, where are you? Dante, come home to me!"

 

Upset, he dries his skin with a maroon washcloth, then looks in the mirror… and sees Killer-Red in the Wood of Suicides, Revenant in his hands.

 

“What are you doing in there? Little me, I know we’re hurting but the Wood of Suicides is dangerous.”

 

“I went looking for Dante but I got lost. Where is he?”

 

“I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m gonna do but you can’t be in there, Killer-Red. Go the way the trees are facing. Look for their faces.”

 

“It’s too dark! Where’s my angel? Where’s my friend? You were supposed to bring him home to me. It’s dark in here, Red Hood!”

 

“I… I don’t know. I don’t know what Batman did with him.”

 

“No. No, where is he?!”

 

Jason’s breathing thickens. On the verge of tears, he shuts his eyes tightly. Darkness takes over, possesses him. He opens his eyes to the sight of Ebony in his hand, in his mouth.

 

“What the-” with a grunt, he throws it. Then, he looks back into the mirror.

 

“What did they do to my angel?!”

 

CRACK. 

 

The mirror shatters!

 

He steps back, shards falling loudly all around him as the lights flicker. 

 

“Holy Christ!”

 

Silver shimmering, a noisy dance of destruction sliding and tumbling onto the tiles, reflecting fragments of white light, like tiny stars throwing themselves into the walls and exploding all over the place.

 

“What do I do without Dante?! My best friend, what do I do?! I want my angel back!”

 

Jason huddles, swallowed in a thousand yard stare at the aluminum surrounding his boots. Killer-Red’s inescapable outpour provokes the woods to threateningly moan and howl. 

 

“Where is he?! What did they do with him?!”

 

“Killer-Red, be careful, you’re pissing off the trees. Get out of there before they-“

 

Wood cracking, heavy movement…

 

“Lemme go!” 

 

“Killer-Red, what’s happening?!”

 

“The branches trapped me, I can’t move! I can’t, I can’t break free! No! Shit, I dropped my gun!”

 

Wings flapping, harsh taunting…

 

“There you are, Killer-Red.”

“We knew we’d find you here.”

“Right where you belong.”

“In the Wood of Suicides.”

“Awe, what’s the matter?”

“Why are you crying, Little Robin?”

 

Whimper, “Red Hood left me behind.”

“That’s because he despises Robin.”

Whimper, ”Batman didn’t come for me.”

“That’s because he never loved you.”

Gasp, “Oh! Oh, I can see the church from here!”

“There’s nothing in there for you.”

Squirming, “Lemme go! Dante, help me!”

“Dante is DEAD!”

 

The struggling stops. 

 

Silence.

 

Then…

 

Jason’s heart sinks as he listens to his younger self give up and begin to cry.

 

“Oh no. I’m sorry, little me. Hey, hey, listen, I don’t despise you.”

 

Hostile, “Yes he does! Red Hood hates Robin!”

Harsh, “Who do you think dies in all his ideations?”

Hostile, “Who do you think he kills when he fantasizes about killing himself?”

Harsh, “You, that’s who! He hates you so much.”

 

The crying intensifies. A wave of intense conviction washes over Jason.

 

“That’s not what I… that’s not what I ever meant but… look, I never meant to hurt you. Forgive me, little me. Don’t be afraid of me.”

 

Sob, “I wanna be with Dante.”

Snicker, “We already told you, Dante DIED.”

Sob, “But I need him.”

 

“Killer-Red. Killer-Red, it’s me. It’s me, Red Hood. I’m still here with you. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

 

Malice, “You don’t really trust yourself do you?”

Agony, “If Dante’s dead, I wanna be dead too.”

 

“Little me? Hang on, wait-“

 

Unison, “We thought you’d never ask!”

 

BAM! A thunderous blow, followed by the worst headache, it’s almost blinding. The Divine Harpies cheer.

 

“Good hit, a branch to the head!”

“That’ll shut him up, the little brat!”

“Coming in here and destroying all the best places to perch!”

“Now we’ll perch on you, like all the other trees!”

“You did put Ebony in your mouth after all, Jason Todd.”

“We never liked robins anyway, such obnoxious little birds.”

 

The violating sensation of being handled by multiple sets of clammy claws jolts Jason to leap up. Revolted, he frantically brushes his arms through his hair and all over his body. 

 

“Get off me!”

 

He’s surreally pulled back into Hell, where the harpies have zealously surrounded him. They collectively lift him to his feet. With great amusement, they titter as they place his body into a romanesque pose for perching.

 

“What a lovely little tree.”

“So poetic and meek, and so young too.”

“Look at him, not a peep peep peep.”

“Look how the pain just stopped.”

“Look how docile and sweet.”

“Little Red Killing Hood got so quiet, now that he’s asleep.”

 

“No, don’t touch me!” Jason curls into a ball in the corner of the bathroom, shielding himself, hearing his little self moan…

 

“Dante?”

“He’s gone forever and it’s your fault.”

 

Jason switches from fearful to angry, “How is it my fault?”

 

“It’s your fault for being Robin.”

“It’s your fault for being Red X.”

“It’s your fault for being Red Hood.”

“It’s your fault for being Killer-Red.“

“It’s your fault, Jason Todd.“

“It’s your fault for being a monster.”

 

“I am not a monster! Don’t listen to them, little me. You’re not a monster!”

 

With the faintest voice, Killer-Red tries to reply. 

 

“Please, did Dante die?”

 

Unable to give a solid answer, Jason pauses and gazes at a large shard near his boots. There, he finds Killer-Red’s heartbroken reflection. He watches his eyes shut, his head hang, his hood droop… 

 

“Killer-Red? Are you still with me?

 

The red X goes black and melts down the left side of his face. On the right side, blood pours from his scalp, washing his skin red.

 

“Robin?”

 

“Looking for Killer-Red?”

“He was suicidal.”

“And being suicidal gave you magic.”

“You died when you put Ebony in your mouth.”

“And pulled the trigger.”

“You killed Robin, Jason Todd.”

 

“No I didn’t!” He gets up but slips in the silver, his tactical gloves protecting his hands as he catches himself on the floor with his palms. His landing is cumbersome. 

 

The harpies hoot!

 

“Now there’s a special place in Hell for you.”

“Your childish spirit secured it.”

“Right where you belong.”

“In the Wood of Suicides.”

“You can see the church from here.”

“Put Ebony in your MOUTH!”

 

He hollers, his voice breaking…

 

“Leave me ALONE!”

 

“Jason!”

 

The bedroom door flies open! An authoritative presence forces the harpies to be silent.

 

“Batman!”

 

“What happened?” Batman kneels and puts his hand on his shoulder. “Look at me.”

 

Jason pulls his own hair, tinnitus stabbing his eardrums.

 

“What did you do with my fucking angel, Batman? What did you do with him? Tell me!”

 

“That’s exactly what I came to tell you. I took him to his father in Jump City.”

 

“Why? Did he even care? Did he ever even love him?!”

 

“He’s going to try and revive him. There’s still a chance he could survive.”

 

“There is? He, he wants to save him? Was he, was he upset?”

 

“He was devastated. I had to do the right thing and bring him his son.”

 

He offers his hand. Jason accepts, finding himself in a paternal squeeze as he’s pulled to his feet.

 

“I’m sorry I had to take your friend away from you.” Batman notices Ebony on the floor. Quickly, he snatches it. “Barbara put this in a safe in the Batcave. How did you get it back? Where’s the other one?”

 

“It came to me… demonically… I think. I’m not gonna shoot myself. God, that’d be so disrespectful to you and Dante… and to me. But I’m telling ya, Bats, weird shit’s happening to me.”

 

“You’re not staying in here with all this broken glass. You’re sleeping in Dick’s room. Come on.”

 

Batman walks him out of the room from behind, hands on his back, steadily pushing him forward. 

 

Jason pauses, covering his face again and wobbling, fighting the urge to bang his head against the wall.

 

“God, I wanna die.”

 

“Keep fighting it, son. Keep moving and don’t look back. I’ll personally take care of the mess.”

 

He shuts the door behind them, preventing Jason from looking back at the sharp edges enticing him to do something irreversible. 

 

They make it to Dick’s old suite, where Batman instructs…

 

“Take a shower and rest. I know that’s asking a lot right now but I need you to do it.”

 

“No, I want to. I will. I’m sorry, Bruce, don’t make me go back to Arkham Asylum!”

 

His father guides him towards the bathroom, near the shower. He turns it on for him and holds his shoulders again.

 

“That’s not happening. That judge turned out to be a demon in a kangaroo court.”

 

Feeling insane, Jason huffs a shaky laugh.

 

“Oh God, please don’t be a demon right now, saying things I wish Bruce would say.”

 

“I’m not. I’m only telling you the truth. Listen to me, you’re gonna bathe and then you’re gonna go to bed. Got it?”

 

Head lowered and trembling, he nods.

 

“Yeah, got it. I got it.”

 

With great effort, he focuses on the motions of bathing. Afterward, he crawls into bed. Then, to his relief, it only takes a few short moments for him to fall asleep out of sheer exhaustion.