[Gotham Times] I Hate It Here - Oct 8th - Fear and Loathing
I Hate It Here
Spider Jerusalem
Another day another heinously toxic chemical attack soiling the underpants of the masses. Not even the same nut job this time, either. Same family line, though. Someone pissed in that gene pool and there was blood in the urine.
It isn't as if Gotham needs help being scared. Jesus, this town drops a pantload every time it sees its own shadow. Now we have to be worried that on top of our usual overwhelming urge to main or kill one another on the train ride home, we might be additionally provoked by chemicals. I get the pleasure of watching the old man across from me clench up, wondering if letting that beer fart go is going to gust up some residual fear gas and inspire me to rip his leathery face off and wear it as a hat to protect myself from mind-rays. Like I wasn't going to do that anyway.
Right now, we're scared of gas attacks. Tomorrow, maybe the next day, it will be back to routine. We'll still be shaking, shifty-eyed, and frantically masturbating the can of mace in our pockets, sure; but it will be because we don't trust the young, or colored people, or the police, or the white devil, or big business. We all attribute our terrors to something. This city is sick and shaking. It's full of addicts, whores, and suits with no conscience. You want to be scared of something? Go to the fucking narrows on a Saturday night. Walk the alleys and the docks. See the poor bastards who can't afford to be crazy in Arkham, so they're crazy outside of it. They mumble nonsense to their merciless, two-headed snake god and gnaw on the carcasses of dead strays. Marvel at their tin-foil armor and know that this is what Gotham has done for them, and that there --but for the grace of multi-vitamins and basic nutrients-- go you, my friend.
This town is unlivable without drugs. At least the fear from the fucking gas will fade. The real thing lingers.