Cupcakes: Part 3
From the Gotham Gazette Online - Monday, June 01, 2009 (530pm)
Update: 4:30pm: An explosion has levelled at least three buildings in the Entertainment Mile Complex. Fire fighters are still on scene, but officials say the fire has now been contained. At this point the casualties remain unconfirmed but it is speculated the number could reach into the hundreds.
The explosion occurred early this afternoon, damaging three buildings and prompting evacuation of the entire complex. While two of the buildings destroyed were yet to be leased the commercial premises of Entertainment Mile management and Scribbles restaurant and bar have been destroyed and Morrison Multiplex and Cupcakes Indoor Play centre were heavily damaged.
The cause of the explosion is yet to be confirmed.
Entertainment Mile is the controversial redevelopment site of the Amusement Mile Park. The redevelopment has been plagued by protests since its conception early last year with protestors pointing to the original amusement park as an important cultural and historical site in Gotham City and with many attempts made to prevent the commercial redevelopment of the site into its present form. Several of the buildings within the complex, including the premises that housed Entertainment Mile Management have been heritage listed and are some of the oldest buildings in Gotham City.
Update: 5pm: Sources have confirmed that the cause of today’s explosion at Entertainment Mile were two detonation devices. No group has yet taken responsibility for the attack but it is speculated that the incident could be linked to long-standing animosity between the Development Company and Entertainment Mile management and fringe groups that have heavily protested the current use of the historical site.
It has been confirmed that at least seven people are dead and as many as twenty-five have critical injuries. Exact casualties are yet to be confirmed. Gotham Emergency Services have established a hotline for those looking for friends and family who they believe may have been injured in the explosion.
Update: 515pm: Kara and Adhra Osborn the wife and daughter of Harry Osborn and daughter-in-law and grandchild of Norman Osborn, Director of HAMMER, have been confirmed as among the injured in today’s attack. Details of their injuries are yet to be confirmed.
Neither Mr. Osborn nor his father have been available for comment.
Cupcakes: Part 3
Adhra is crazy about Cheerios. She loves everything about them. She loves the way they taste. She loves the way they crunch. She loves the way that no matter how many she goes through Mommy always seems to have more in her bag. You only have to ask and there is Mommy handing over a new little box or baggie of Cheerios goodness.
There are always Cheerios in Mommy’s bag. You only need to scream loud enough and they appear from Mommy’s bag like magic.
Not from Lorna’s bag, strangely. Adhra knows because Adhra has looked. She has looked and she has cried and she has screamed and Lorna has tried to work out what is wrong.
“Ro’s!”
“Rows?”
“Addie’s screaming, Mommy.” Katie says.
“Ro’s!”
“Rose?”
“Addie’s crying, Mommy.” Katie says.
“ROOOOOOOOOOOOO’S!”
“Addie’s kicking you, Mommy.” Katie says.
Adhra Osborn learned three things that day:
Lorna Dane’s bag has no Cheerios. Katie Dane enjoys stating the obvious. And Lorna Dane does not like to be kicked.
It was a terrible, terrible day. It can be truly horrible being an Adhra.
But today is a good day. Today Mommy is there and Mommy has as many Cheerios as Adhra asks for.
“Ro’s!” Adhra will say and then Mommy will look through her bag and out comes a new little baggie of Cheerio’s.
“She just loves them.” Mommy tells Christine. “She could eat nothing but Cheerios and dog food all day.”
But today Adhra Osborn is not eating her endless supply of Cheerios. She’s found a much better use for those bite-sized pieces of dry and crunchy cereal. Today Adhra Osborn is up to much fun and no good.
“Gone.” She says to Mommy, only moments after she’d received the last baggie.
Mommy doesn’t seem to notice. Mommy is obedient, well trained, much better trained than Daddy or Grandpa or Maria or Lorna or even Uncle Alan. Mommy does what Adhra wants - mostly. Except when her face turns pink and her eyes bug out and then you’re better off just running. But mostly Mommy is well trained. Trained to hand out as many Cheerios as an Adhra is looking for.
“Another coffee?” Christine says to Mommy.
It’s getting late and they shouldn’t. They really, really shouldn’t. That special early afternoon witching hour that applies specifically to the toddler set is about to set in and as the clock strikes one (or perhaps one-fifteen) every entity under the age of three will turn from precious little bundle of joy into a sadistic terror who in the singular is terrifying enough but in mass…
“Well, I guess a decaf won’t kill me.” Mommy says.
“Gone!” Adhra interrupts. “More!”
And Mommy hands her another bag. It’s that simple.
”Open!” Adhra demands.
And Mommy opens the baggie for her. It’s that easy.
Today it is great to be an Adhra.
“I’ll get this round - ” Christine tells Mommy. “Decaf latte?”
“Is this yours?” The angry lady says to Mommy. The angry lady is dragging Adhra behind her. The angry lady is angry. The angry lady has Adhra’s bag of Cheerios and Adhra doesn’t think she’s giving them back. “You should watch your child - do you know what she’s doing? She’s throwing cereal at the other children. She’s been throwing cereal at my children. Do you see that sign? That sign says parents are responsible for the behaviour of their children. You need to watch your child.”
“No, no.” Says Mommy to Christine as if she’s the most benevolent being in the universe. “I’ll get this round. You deal with your daughter… You really should watch her better. What if she’d thrown that Cheerio in someone’s eye? Or in their mouth and it got caught and they choked? What if a child had a terrible cheerio allergy? I’m amazed no one died. Weak Chai latte, right? I’ll be right back.”
And Mommy has run off leaving Christine, Adhra and the angry lady behind.
Christine looks like someone just threw a cheerio in her eye. And the angry lady definitely looks like she’s choking on one. And Mommy is running as fast from her rapidly developing cheerio allergy as her legs can carry her.
"More?" Says Adhra.