Hunger can turn human beings into beasts. Thirst turns them into disoriented, quickly weakening beasts. At the moment Selina was suffering from both. Severely. To add to her torment, the sun beat down on her. It was midday and she hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon. Her legs hurt from running for who knows how long. She kept running aimlessly till she was sure those sick bastards wouldn't be able to get her. Her heart still ached over leaving Sylvia behind, but what could she do? Her outfit attracted strange looks. She was in an oversized shirt and pair of jeans, along with a pair of sneakers that looked like they had been run over. She stole them from a trailer. The clothes were hanging on a line. The shoes she found when she poked her head inside. Whoever lived there was fast asleep, and she swiftly made off with what she needed.
She looked weird, but she figured this was better than the revealing outfit in which she had left the mansion. Especially in a place like this. A place that the state and decency seemed to have forgotten. The roads had more potholes than actual road, many of them held puddles. The telephone polls were bent and some had no wires on them. The people looked dirty, disheveled and as hungry as she felt. Was she even in Gotham anymore?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a whistling sound. She turned around to see a woman in a mini dress that had obviously seen better days, and high heeled sandals. Her make up was loud and she surely sucked at applying mascara. Selina could guess what she did for a living.
"You ain't from around here, are ya?" the young woman asked. A closer look revealed she probably just five or six years older than Selina. She just looked weathered, probably due to the conditions in which she had to live.
"How do you know?" Selina asked back.
"You just look..... I dunno.... non ghetto. Even in the rags you're wearing."
Selina saw an opportunity to make a buck to fill her belly.
"You wanna buy a dress? And a pair of shoes. They're new".
The woman raised an eyes brow as she looked at the soles of the shoes which had been damaged from all that running.
"Ok. New-ish" Selina shrugged
"I'll give you 10 dollars for em. The shoes and the slutty dress" The woman offered
"Are you crazy? Look at this dress! Twenty five dollars for it and the shoes, which you obviously need. You're still getting a hell of a deal."
"Fifteen bucks"
"Twenty!"
"Look girl, all I got is seventeen. Take it or leave it. And i suggest you take it and get some food in you. You look hungry."
Selina was surprised at how well this woman could read her. She sold the outfit for seventeen dollars and started to leave.
"Be careful now girl. Outsiders don't last here for too long." The woman told Selina while putting on her new-ish shoes.
"Yeah.... thanks" Selina replied before enquiring "where exactly is "here"?"
"Moreville. Between Gotham and Fitchburg. You won't find it on any map."
The interaction did nothing to ease her mind. That woman was able to decipher so quickly that she wasn't from this place. This....."Moreville".
As she walked further, the infrastructure seemed to get better. She found a half decent looking diner and spent some of her money on a filling meal. The board outside simply read "Ma's". Simple and straightforward, Selina thought as she munched her grilled cheese and ham sandwiches. The middle aged woman who owned the place had kind eyes. This was probably "Ma". She brought Selina a slice of apple pie and she said that hadn't ordered any, "Ma" simply smiled and winked. Indicating that it was on the house.
While the woman's kindness was warming, Selina still had no idea what she going to do. Or where she would go. One thing she had figured out was that she did not want to get noticed in a place like this. The gazes of those around her were foreboding. She tried not to make eye contact, but that didn't stop one of the other patrons, a man probably in his late twenties to early thirties from approaching her.
"Hey pretty girl! You from out of town?" He asked as he tried to brush aside a lock of hair from Selina's face. Selina was now truly scared and flinched from his touch
"Hey hey! I'm not gonna hurt ya. I just wanna talk." Selina could read the guy's intentions in his eyes. It was something she had seen so many times in the hell from which she had escaped.
"You leave her alone, Terry!" the diner owner's commanding tone was enough to make this Terry behave.
"Ma.... I was just bein' friendly...." Terry stammered.
"You go back to your booth and be friendly." Ma didn't have to say it twice. Her orders were followed with immediate effect.
"It's ok, sweetie. You finish your lunch." Ma's kindness returned when she spoke to Selina, who just expressed her gratitude with a small smile.
Leaving the diner, Selina noticed the woods in the distance. This gave her an idea. All those trees could provide her with a place to hide. Granted there could be perils lurking in those woods, such as cultists, serial killer or the like, but it was a calculated risk Selina was willing to take.
As it turned out, the woods were quite pleasant. Selina went deeper and the tree cover provided ample protection from the sun. A cool breeze was blowing and a tired Selina felt drowsy. She found a grassy spot and soon feel asleep while leaning against a tree trunk.
"Selina! Time to go home!" Peter's face appeared out of the darkness. Behind him were those predators from the mansion. Their smiles were diabolical. Peter started to pull her up by her arm. "You didn't think you could run forever, did you?"
"LET ME GO!! LET ME GO!!!" Selina woke up screaming. Except this time, it wasn't in some motel or in The Nest. The woods around her were pitch black. In the distance, sounds of chirps, screams, squeals could he heard as the nocturnal creatures had come to life. Selina brushed off an insect that had crawled upto her shoulder and was making it's way to her hair. She was just trying to decide what to do. The woods probably weren't safe after dark. She had no idea what kind of wildlife.....
Before Selina could finish the thought, she saw light in the distance. Bright, multi coloured lights. She headed towards it, driven more by curiosity than anything else. As she got closer, she realised it was a circus. A travelling circus from the looks of the tents. Definitely not the high end kind. It did attract a decent crowd though. She saw people buying peanuts, candy and popcorn while watching various acts. A girl dancing on a tight rope, a contortionist bending his body at impossible angles, a man juggling what looked like a dozen bottles.
Selina decided this place had some easy pickings.
She used her nimble fingers to get at a man's wallet and was just about to pull it out when a strong hand pulled her away. What the hell?
"GOTCHA!" said the middle aged man wearing glasses and a bow tie.
"Sorry to bother you, sir. Just caught this little wretch trying to lift your wallet."
"I thought I felt something!" The man who would have been Selina's mark quickly shoved his wallet in his shirt pocket. Selina almost laughed as it looked like he had grown a single boob.
"Well don't worry. I'll turn her in to the police." The man with glasses said, dragging Selina away.
"Let me go! You're hurting me!" she protested fiercely.
The man took her to a van and shoved her in the back. He shut the door behind him. Selina was about to have a terrifying flashback when he spoke.
"You hungry?"
She remained silent.
"Of course you are!" He said taking a chocolate bar out of his pocket and offering it to Selina. She was hesitant. Not taking candy from strangers was the cardinal rule after all.
"Go on. Take it. I'm not gonna poison you." He insisted again and this time Selina took it.
"And don't worry. I'm not gonna call the cops. Last thing this circus needs is a bunch of cops crawling around."
"So, what're you going to do?" Selina asked, still apprehensive.
"You been stealin' for a while, huh?" The man asked, observing Selina keenly.
"Uh.... yeah. About a year."
"Hmmm.... figured. The technique was good, but a seasoned professional like me could spot your little trick easily. I'm Del Halperm. And I know a diamond in the rough when I see one. Tell me kid, you got any family. Anyone who might be missin' you?"
"Yeah. Of course I have family."
To Selina's annoyance, Del burst out laughing.
"Kid, you're a much better thief than you are a liar!" he told her, "Let me give you some advice. When all else fails, join the circus."
"The circus?" Selina asked, confused
"Why the hell not? You got nowhere to go. And we could use an extra hand to lift wallets from rubes. What do you say. We can teach you things, you know. Plus you'll be safe with us."
Selina considered the proposal. She wasn't exactly swimming on options, so she said yes.
"All right. You got a name?" Del asked
"Selina. Selina Kyle"
"Ok, Selina Kyle" Del said, shaking her hand, "welcome to the Halperm Travelling Circus."
The months that followed were some of the happiest in Selina's young life. She made wonderful friends. There was Alison, the girl who could not only walk, but also dance on a tight rope. The twins, Brendan and Tamsyn who were gifted acrobats. They were about a year older than Selina. Mason "Elastic" Simpson, the contortionist. Harry the magician. And of course, there was Del Halperm. Underneath all his snark and apparent cynicism, Del was a very kind man. He treated the kids at his circus like his own. He spent time with them, watched over them, taught them right from wrong. He was the first man in Selina's life who didn't want to exploit her in some way. He just treated her like a child. A child he had taken under his wing, nothing more and nothing less.
Selina's skills grew in leaps and bounds. Alison taught her how to dance on the tight rope as if it was nothing. Brendan and Tamsyn helped her become better a acrobat. The Elastic taught her how to move her body in ways that she had never considered before. Harry taught her slight of hand tricks and how to make things disappear. As for Del, he made her a better thief. He taught her the art of picking a lock. Any kind of lock, made of any kind of material. He also taught her the mechanics of a safe and how to use that knowledge to crack it. Del was also an amazing stuntman. He performed acts that had the audience holding their breath.
Selina wanted to learn all of those tricks but he told her she wasn't old enough. He did agree to teach her how to drive and how to ride a motorcycle.
However the most important thing that The Halperm Travelling circus gave Selina was a family. Something she needed more that anything else. The other kids, Alison, Brendan and Tamsyn were like her siblings. She laughed with them, learned with them, competed with them. The adults were protective and indulgent.
Over time, Selina got to know her new friends better. Alison wanted to be a ballerina. She had had gymnastics training as a child, but it was her dream to make it in ballet. Unfortunately, her parents were killed in a car crash. Her childhood and her dreams died along with them. She ended up in a state run orphanage, and her experience there had not been much different from Selina's. Two years earlier, at seventeen, she finally summoned the courage to escape from the endless cycle of abuse. She ended up and Del' circus and, once again, much like Selina she found a family and a sense of security.
Brendan and Tamsyn were from Ukraine. They too were orphaned at a young age. Young enough that they could hardly remember the faces of their parents. They worked at a circus in their home country as well. It took them in soon after they were orphaned. However, the treatment they recieved was a far cry from the affection and warmth with which Del showered them. They had ultimately been sold to a human trafficking network and were brought to America. Fortunately, they were able to escape at the airport and ended up with Del.
Just like Selina, they too were children of tragedy.
The circus travelled frequently. For the fourteen months that Selina spent with them, they visited dozens of big cities and small towns on the East Coast. Selina had a blast seeing all the new places. Dale would sometimes spoil the kids and take them sight seeing. They passed Moreville quite often and stopped to eat at Ma's diner every time. Ma knew all of them by name and was as kind as she had been to Selina on her first day in that town. Years, even decades later, the memories of the circus would bring a smile to Selina's lips.
Eventually the circus would make it's way to Gotham. Selina had mixed feelings. This place was her home, but it also held so many bad memories. When they breached the borders of the city, she figured as long as she was here, she may as well see Maggie. She knew where the family that had adopted her lived. She told Del about her plans and he allowed her to go with Brendan. On the way she bought a present for her sister. A Malabu Barbie that she bought with her own money. Selina didn't see the appeal, but Maggie had always loved dolls. They reached her home and Selina rang the doorbell, Brendan standing a short distance away.
A well dressed woman opened the door and Selina greeted her politely.
"I'm Selina. Maggie's sister. I just wanted to talk to her for a bit. I have a... "
Selina was cut off by the woman.
"I'm afraid I cannot allow that." She said coldly.
"But why....?"
"I know who you are young lady. I know about all the trouble you caused at that orphanage. And I don't want someone like hou around my daughter."
"Look, I just want to talk to her."
"I told you I won't allow that", Maggie's adoptive mother snapped, "you need to accept that she isn't part of your would anymore. We've given her a good life and we will not let your kind near her. Now go before I call the police!"
Selina looked down at the boxed Barbie in her hands. She held it out and said "I brought her this present. Maggie loves dolls. Could you just give it to her. That's all I ask."
The woman rolled her eyes and said "Fine!". She took the doll before shutting the door in Selina's face.
The circus performance that evening was as splendid as ever. Everyone executed their roles with perfection. Dale gathered everyone in his tent for dinner as he always did. However, Selina was nowhere to be seen. Brendan knew Selina would be upset and told Del why. They all looked for Selina and found her sitting on a bench in the nearby park. Dale sent everyone back and told them to get started on dinner.
He walked to where Selina was and sat beside her.
"What're you sitting here for girl?" he asked softly.
"I'm just not hungry, Del", Selina replied staring at her feet.
"I see. So you wanna punish yourself with starvation because of some elitist snob? I fail to see that logic in that."
Selina looked up, surprised. But at this point, she figured she shouldn't be. Del had a way of knowing things, especially when it came to his kids. She struggled to speak as her eyes welled up.
"I... just.. just wanted to see her Dale. And give her a doll." She couldn't stop her tears anymore. She hid her face in her hands and wept.
Del gently remove her hands from her face and wiped off her tears with his handkerchief.
"Look at me, kid"
Selina did.
"Now you listen carefully. There's folks in this world who refuse to understand how another person might feel. They judge and they hurt those who aren't like them. They lack a basic human quality called empathy. Now, are we going to let those people hurt us? Are we going to give them what they want and shed tears over the cruel things they say?"
Selina shook her head.
"That's right. We won't. And we will never, ever, under any circumstances let them see us hurt. Never let them see us cry. We stand tall and proud. No matter what. Got it?"
"Yeah" Selina replied, Del's words giving her comfort and strength.
"Selina, I need you to remember this for the rest of your life. Most people in this world just let life happen to them. They're like tumble weed. Life blows them over from one direction to another and they drift along passively. That's not gonna be you. You're gonna be in control. You're gonna make your own choices. You're gonna do something big with your life."
He held out his hand. "Promise me?" he said.
"I promise." Selina said putting her hand in his.
"Atta girl! Now come on, I'm starving."
Life in the circus went on for a while. Selina grew in grace and skills. She was egged on by support from her friends and by the pride she saw in Del's eyes. With her now excellent pickpocketing skills she was a huge contributor to their earnings.
Unfortunately, another tragedy awaited young Selina.
One evening in Bludhaven, they were performing as always. Everyone was excited as this time the circus had pulled the biggest crowds they had ever had.
Del was set to do his usual finale. One that often had people screaming. But this time, the stunt went disastrously wrong. He was rushed to the hospital and the doctors declared that he would not make it. His spine was crushed and his brain was swelling. Selina never left his bedside. She forgot food and sleep due to her concerns for the man who had become a father to her.
"Del, don't go. Don't go Del please!" she pleaded through her sobs.
Del used what little strength he had to touch her face and said, "remember Selina, never let them see you cry. Never let them see you hurt. Never....ever..."
And then, he said no more. Del Halperm was gone.
Selina Kyle was orphaned all over again.
