Sequel: A Serious House on Serious Earth ›
Status: Sequel? Yes? No?
The Joker and the Thief
Explode
I wasn't sure if it was due to the growing amount of smoke present or malnutrition but my stomach would not stop twisting. And all the twisting caused what little was present substance in my stomach to move upwards. Only a small amount of vomit made its way onto the cement but my stomach still wasn't done twirling. I kneeled on the ground and dry heaved for a good five minutes before my stomach calmed down and settled itself.
I felt worse than ever. The constant fear and lack of food was finally taking effect. I didn't have the energy to stand up; I simply crawled away from the yellow mucus and laid on my back. I was burning up but no sweat was present. It felt like I was dying.
My body was shutting down. My vision was becoming morphed and distorted. I was barely aware of the multiple hands that picked me up and carried me outside, away from the burning fortune. But I was aware of the plastic bottle that was pushed into my hand. My body mustered up enough energy to lift the bottle to my mouth. A flood of water raced down, burning my throat. Before I could consume the entire bottle, the plastic container was wrestled out of my grip.
At first I was confused at the removal of the gift, but then the product of my greed showed itself. A small amount of water came back up and spilled itself onto the concrete ground. A hand returned the bottle to mine and an unfamiliar voice said, “Slowly.” My line of vision and thought process was beginning to return when I was helped into a car. From the heavy smell of cigar smoke, I’d figured it was Chechen’s.
As the car pulled away from the now smoking warehouse, my body was returning to normal. I could make out the Joker’s face, as he sat next to me in the car. My head hurt and my throat was sore but the ringing and fuzziness was going away. By the time the car stopped, I was able to think clearly. But my balance had yet to reappear.
And the Joker had lost his sympathy as he recklessly dragged me out of the car, across an empty parking lot and into an unknown building. It didn’t take me long to realize the building was a hospital and it took me even less time to realize the hospital was Gotham General, the city’s largest hospital. But something was wrong. There was no one around. Not a single nurse, doctor or patient.
The Joker’s goons dispersed down numerous hallways; probably off to destroy something while I was forced to follow the Joker. But my following didn’t last very long. I wasn’t paying attention to where the Joker was leading me; I was more preoccupied with looking for someone to help me. The next thing I knew, I was being pushing into a storage closet. The door was closed in my face before I could even react. “What the hell? Let me out.” I began to pounding on the door with my fist. But there was nothing but silence on the side of the door.
I spent the next twenty minutes trying to pull the door open but something on the other side prevented me from doing so. There was nothing of any use in the closet either, just a couple mops, brooms and other cleaning supplies. I continued to bang on the door at random intervals of time, hoping for some to help me but after being in the closet for over half an hour I was growing tried.
I was on the verge of sleep when the door was roughly pushed open only to be stopped by my face. Some how there was no physical damage done, no blood or bruises. The only byproduct of the door’s impact on my face was pain. When I pulled out of the closet, I was met with a uniquely dressed Joker. First, my mind wonder wear he found such clothes. Second was why in the hell he was wearing a candy striper costume. But all the thoughts of the Joker in drag were wiped from my mind when I saw what was in the Joker’s hand.
It clearly was homemade; the thing was kept together with tape. Despite the unsophisticated detail, I was certain the remote detonator would work, which was why I was intent on keeping pace with the Joker. I could have screamed when the Joker pressed the large, threatening red button before we had exited the hospital. Part of the hallway behind us exploded, causing me to quicken my pace so I walking a good ten feet in front of the Joker.
When I reached the door, I had a quick thought of running for it. It was just the Joker and I, and he was distracted with blowing stuff up. But my brief dance with escape was cut short when the Joker took hold over my arm and steered to towards a school bus; all while simultaneously pressing the red button numerous times. I was so surprised that I was allowed to climb on the bus under my own esteem that I missed the initial explosion. But I was able to watch the hospital crumble though the window as the bus pulled away.
I felt worse than ever. The constant fear and lack of food was finally taking effect. I didn't have the energy to stand up; I simply crawled away from the yellow mucus and laid on my back. I was burning up but no sweat was present. It felt like I was dying.
My body was shutting down. My vision was becoming morphed and distorted. I was barely aware of the multiple hands that picked me up and carried me outside, away from the burning fortune. But I was aware of the plastic bottle that was pushed into my hand. My body mustered up enough energy to lift the bottle to my mouth. A flood of water raced down, burning my throat. Before I could consume the entire bottle, the plastic container was wrestled out of my grip.
At first I was confused at the removal of the gift, but then the product of my greed showed itself. A small amount of water came back up and spilled itself onto the concrete ground. A hand returned the bottle to mine and an unfamiliar voice said, “Slowly.” My line of vision and thought process was beginning to return when I was helped into a car. From the heavy smell of cigar smoke, I’d figured it was Chechen’s.
As the car pulled away from the now smoking warehouse, my body was returning to normal. I could make out the Joker’s face, as he sat next to me in the car. My head hurt and my throat was sore but the ringing and fuzziness was going away. By the time the car stopped, I was able to think clearly. But my balance had yet to reappear.
And the Joker had lost his sympathy as he recklessly dragged me out of the car, across an empty parking lot and into an unknown building. It didn’t take me long to realize the building was a hospital and it took me even less time to realize the hospital was Gotham General, the city’s largest hospital. But something was wrong. There was no one around. Not a single nurse, doctor or patient.
The Joker’s goons dispersed down numerous hallways; probably off to destroy something while I was forced to follow the Joker. But my following didn’t last very long. I wasn’t paying attention to where the Joker was leading me; I was more preoccupied with looking for someone to help me. The next thing I knew, I was being pushing into a storage closet. The door was closed in my face before I could even react. “What the hell? Let me out.” I began to pounding on the door with my fist. But there was nothing but silence on the side of the door.
I spent the next twenty minutes trying to pull the door open but something on the other side prevented me from doing so. There was nothing of any use in the closet either, just a couple mops, brooms and other cleaning supplies. I continued to bang on the door at random intervals of time, hoping for some to help me but after being in the closet for over half an hour I was growing tried.
I was on the verge of sleep when the door was roughly pushed open only to be stopped by my face. Some how there was no physical damage done, no blood or bruises. The only byproduct of the door’s impact on my face was pain. When I pulled out of the closet, I was met with a uniquely dressed Joker. First, my mind wonder wear he found such clothes. Second was why in the hell he was wearing a candy striper costume. But all the thoughts of the Joker in drag were wiped from my mind when I saw what was in the Joker’s hand.
It clearly was homemade; the thing was kept together with tape. Despite the unsophisticated detail, I was certain the remote detonator would work, which was why I was intent on keeping pace with the Joker. I could have screamed when the Joker pressed the large, threatening red button before we had exited the hospital. Part of the hallway behind us exploded, causing me to quicken my pace so I walking a good ten feet in front of the Joker.
When I reached the door, I had a quick thought of running for it. It was just the Joker and I, and he was distracted with blowing stuff up. But my brief dance with escape was cut short when the Joker took hold over my arm and steered to towards a school bus; all while simultaneously pressing the red button numerous times. I was so surprised that I was allowed to climb on the bus under my own esteem that I missed the initial explosion. But I was able to watch the hospital crumble though the window as the bus pulled away.