Scalpels and Switchblades

Tracey’s POV

I was sat in the mess hall, trying to force down my food, three bean casserole, yum.
I don’t even know why I was trying to eat it. I didn’t feel hungry at all, just tired. It’s like since my life had slowed down, everything else had caught up with me, like my perception of time. See when I was with Joke time was nothing but a blur. There was never actually time with him, we were always innow. No tomorrow, no yesterday, just now. Everything was acted on impulse, there never seemed to be a plan, and of course that meant no time for normal things, like sleep. So now I’m physically and mentally exhausted.

Watching my fork stir through the casserole made me feel sleepy, like it was hypnotizing me.
I tried willing the feeling of fatigue away. But I was woken by something else. A voice.

“Hello?”

I looked up to see a girl, younger than me. Twenty maybe? She had auburn colored hair and pale blue eyes. Her complexion was also pale and she had freckles scattered across her cheeks and nose.

“Can I sit? She questioned, motioning to the empty seat across from me.

“Uh- sure” I smiled. That was another thing about being with the Joker, socializing was at a minimum, and I certainly hadn’t spoken to another female in a while, it was usually Joke himself or a mindless schizophrenic goon, who would rant and rave about the voices, and how when everything was done, Joke would somehow go inside and take them away. Plain weird

“I’m Vanessa, but you can call me Ness.” She stated holding her hand out.

I shook it “Tracey” I nodded.

“Hi, so um, I haven’t seen you round before. Just got here?”

“Ye, well this is my sixth day really. I take it you’ve been here longer?

“Coming up to two years next month.” she replied, spooning some soup into her mouth.

“Oh” Is all I could say, she seemed pretty normal, like myself, yet she’d been here that long? Maybe I’ll be here longer then I thought.

Suddenly Ness’s head sprung up and she stared at me.

“Who are you? She spat, her voice seemed… menacing.

“Um-I” but before I could muster an answer he started shaking her head violently. The she gasped, as if her head had just been held under water.

“I’m so sorry, that was Tamarah .” My brow furrowed in confusion.

“She’s the reason I’m here, she’s like the nasty side of me, she doesn’t like strangers, but I’m getting better at controlling her.” She nodded her head vigorously trying to assure me she was fine.

“Okay…”

“Don’t worry she can’t hurt you. Oh god you probably think I’m weird now.” And it was the truth, I was honestly a little freaked out.

“I should probably go now.” She sighed lifting her tray.

“No, you can stay, seriously, it’s all good, I mean, yeah you have your problems, but same here, why the hell else would I be here? It’s certainly not for the food!” I laughed.

She seated herself once again giggling along with me.

“So, why are you here then?”

“Long story short, I got in to deep with a bad man. The Joker, to be precise.”

“Wow... that makes you the surgeon right?”

“Right...” I replied a little suspicious.
“Just ‘cos I’m cooped up in here, doesn’t mean I don’t know what’s going on in the world.” She smiled.

“You screwed up real bad.” She stated.

“Thanks for the reminder.”
And we both burst into another round of laughter.