The day before the bats went missing in Bat City, the huge city hidden deep inside a dark, humid cave, everything was full of life. The city buzzed with the sound of fluttering wings as bats flew through the air instead of driving cars. They zipped past sidewalks and buildings carved into the cave walls and ceilings. Bat City was like a human city, with busy streets, neighborhoods, and tall buildings, but here, everyone was a bat.
Steve, also known as the Bat Detective, lived a simple life. His daily routine never changed: wake up, walk through the busy streets, go to his small, messy office, and wait for cases that rarely came. When the day ended, he would head home, climb into his hammock, and fall asleep. It was an ordinary life, and he was used to it.
That night, Bat City was as lively as ever. Bats chattered on sidewalks, flew between buildings, and filled the humid air with the hum of their wings. Steve turned in early, unaware that everything would change by morning.
The next day, Steve woke up to an eerie silence. The usual sounds of wings and echoing chatter were gone. He looked outside his window and saw empty streets. The lively city was now still and quiet. Confused, Steve walked outside, expecting to find some explanation. But there were no bats anywhere. The streets were empty, the buildings dark, and the silence was heavy.
At first, Steve thought maybe everyone had stayed up late celebrating something. He wandered the empty city for hours, waiting for life to return. But it didn’t. As the hours passed, a cold realization set in: Bat City was completely abandoned.
The silence felt heavier as Steve reached his office. It no longer felt like a safe, familiar place. His messy papers and case files seemed useless. Something was wrong—deeply wrong—and Steve decided it was up to him to figure out what had happened.
Steve grabbed his detective tools—a magnifying glass, a pair of heat-sensor binoculars, and a notebook—and got to work. He started by searching the streets and alleys for footprints or signs of a struggle. But the dusty ground was clean, with no trace of movement. Next, he used echolocation, sending sound waves bouncing through the city to detect any hidden presence. But all he heard was the echo of empty buildings.
Finally, Steve tried his heat-sensor binoculars, which could pick up the warmth of living things. He scanned the entire city, hoping to find some sign of life. But there was nothing. It was as if every bat in the city had vanished into thin air, leaving Steve completely alone.
That night, Steve sat alone in his dimly lit home. He pulled out an old photograph of his family. The edges were worn, and the picture was faded, but he could still see their faces. Tears filled his eyes as he remembered how much he missed them. As he stared at the photo, a strange feeling washed over him, and then he heard a soft, familiar voice.
“Everything will be alright. Just be patient and look,” the voice said.
Steve’s heart raced. He spun around, looking for the source of the voice, but no one was there. “Who’s there?” he called out, but the room was silent. Though shaken, Steve felt oddly comforted. “Okay,” he whispered before falling into an uneasy sleep.
The next morning, Steve woke up with a new determination. The voice, whoever it was, gave him hope. But doubt crept in. Was he really a detective, or just pretending to be one? As the doubt grew, the voice returned.
“You are a bat detective. No, the Bat Detective. But even the best need practice. This is your first case. It’s fine,” the voice reassured him.
Steve sat up. “Who are you?” he asked.
“You’ll find out in time,” the voice replied.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Steve searched every corner of Bat City, chasing shadows and tiny leads. But he found no clues. The voice became his only companion, whispering encouragement when he felt like giving up. Slowly, he started to suspect who the voice might be.
One night, while wandering the empty streets, Steve found a flight of stairs leading down to an underground passage. As he descended, the dim light made it hard to see, and he missed a step. He tumbled down, hitting the ground hard as everything went black.
When Steve woke up, he was in his bed, drenched in sweat. The sounds of Bat City were back. Wings fluttered outside, and the city buzzed with life. It was as if nothing had happened. Had it all been a dream? Or was it something more?
Steve wasn’t sure. But as he looked out at the bustling city, he knew one thing for certain: his journey as the Bat Detective was just beginning.