In the Mind of Madness

Kenna started for the bus stop at around ten-forty-five. She had dressed in dark jeans, a white camisole, and a short brown leather jacket, leaving her hair down and wavy. It had been a while since she really got out, and distractions from her job were all too welcome.

On the bus ride she looked at the people bustling around on the sidewalks, and at the people on the bus with her. She knew The Joker was wrong. There was good in Gotham, even if it was in small doses. Kenna smiled at a mother bouncing her baby on her lap, and a young man letting an older lady get on the bus before him.

Her thoughts kept drifting back to what she had seen the night before. She knew it was insane to think that Batman had been outside her window, but what other explanation was there? Exhaustion, thought Kenna with a chuckle. Maybe she was losing it. No, Kenna rejected that idea bitterly. Thinking that she was anything but sane was giving in to The Joker. He wanted her to lose it.

But there had to be some logical explanation to it besides Batman looking in her window. Not only was he either in hiding or working way below the radar, but he was hated throughout Gotham. People blamed him for Dent’s death. Kenna shut her eyes and sighed. Only she knew the truth, and she couldn’t bear to reveal it to the city. She hated it, but The Joker was right about one thing. If people knew that their hero district attorney Harvey Dent had become a monster…it would destroy them.

The bus came to her stop, and Kenna filed out with a few other people. Right away she saw Darla, her bright red spiky hair and strange clothing sticking out like a sore thumb. Kenna waved, and Darla stubbed out her cigarette to wave back.

“Let’s go, I’m starved. I hear this place has a great gazpacho.”

Kenna pretended to have some idea what that was and went into the little restaurant with Darla. Looking around she saw the place was almost completely empty, except for the bored looking waiter and a man sitting alone in the back. Darla led Kenna to a table a few before the man in the back, looking evenly through the menu.

“This place is kind of deserted.” noted Kenna.

Darla looked up like she hadn’t noticed. “Yeah, I guess so. So, whatever happened to that patient that was giving you trouble?”

“Oh, him.” Kenna grumbled. “It all worked out. I’m…back on the case.”

Her friend raised her eyebrows. “You were off the case?”

“Yes, I guess I didn’t tell you that. I got sick of dealing with him and handed it off, but I wanted it back pretty soon after.”

“Why? If he’s such a pain why not get rid of him while you can?” asked Darla, still flipping through the menu.

“Mostly it’s about finishing what I started. I hate being a quitter, and…I didn’t want him to think he’d won.” at a strange look from Darla she smiled. “Yeah, he’s a weird guy. Quitting was giving in, and I wasn’t going to do that so easily.”

“Wow. You’re a lot braver than I would be. When people annoy me I just snap.” giggled Darla.

They chatted until the waiter came to take their order, Kenna having the chicken salad and an ice tea and Darla ordering the gazpacho and an espresso. Kenna kept catching the man in the back looking at her, and she felt really uncomfortable after a little while.

“I need to go to the bathroom.” said Kenna abruptly.

“Okay.” Darla replied, not moving to get up.

Kenna got up and gave Darla a one-armed hug, whispering in her ear. “Can we please switch seats, that guy is staring at me.”

“Sure thing.”

Darla winked as Kenna headed to the bathroom, in case the man overheard her saying she had to go. She didn’t want to seem rude, sure that he probably didn’t mean any harm. But living in a city such as Gotham could make any woman paranoid when a man gave her too much unwanted attention. Kenna had seen on the news that the rate of muggings had gone up 5%, mostly involving women.

In the tan-tiled ladies room she checked her hair and put on a little more lipstick. Then she went back to the table where Darla was waiting.

“So how’s work been for you?” asked Kenna.

Darla shrugged. “Same old same old. Being a hair stylist isn’t a very exciting life, and sometimes the people are just horrible. I would rather deal with actual loonies than half the jerks that I see every day.”

“We’ll have to trade then, because I don’t know how much more I can take of this.” said Kenna, picking up the ice tea that had came for her while she was in the bathroom and taking a gulp.

“I still don’t understand why you don’t just give up the case.”

Kenna sighed. “Yeah, me neither.”

Soon the food came, and Kenna kept sipping her ice tea between bites. The calmness of the restaurant and Darla’s relaxing presence were making her a little drowsy, and she rested her elbows on the table. Darla was watching her anxiously.

“Are you feeling okay, Kenna?”

Kenna nodded, her eyelids drooping. “I feel kinda…funny.”

“You look tired.”

“Mm hm.”

Everything looked like it was underwater. Kenna’s head rolled over onto her shoulder, and she started to fall out of her chair. She braced herself for the impact of the tile floor, but a pair of hands caught her roughly. Giggling echoed in her hearing, and after a moment Kenna realized it was her own. In fact, everything was echoing.

“Whoa!” gasped Kenna, as she was lifted harshly, somebody gripping the back of her knees and her shoulder far too hard.

“Be careful, Dummy!” a voice said, but it was slowed down and seemed to lull Kenna faster towards sleep.

“It’s Dopey!” snarled an even slower voice.

“Whatever. Just get her in the back. The boss is waiting.”

Kenna groaned and shut her eyes. Everything was so confusing. She didn’t want to be awake anymore.