Holding On

I can feel myself opening my eyes, It was blurry, but I was over someone’s shoulder going down a hall. My eyes got heavy again as I passed out once again. But I remember a glance at the purple pants.

…

I woke up feeling like I got hit by a truck. My back ached but I was slightly comfortable. I notice I was in a bed, under some covers, in another room. I freaked as I sat up and looked over myself, my clothes have been changed into a familiar red flannel shirt and boxers. Someone changed me and now I feel violated. I got out of bed and ran towards a door near by; Closet. Another; Bathroom. Then I ran over across the bedroom and opened the small window and looked down to see I was 10 stories high.

“Fuck.” I muttered to myself and stepped away.

My heart is hammering in my chest, as I step away from the window. Silence consumes me, as I turn full circle examining the room from every angle. The only remaining door must lead out into some hallway, I think to myself, with my luck; it's probably locked anyways. I sit down upon the bed. I close my eyes in thought, I was a caged animal. As far as they were concerned, anyways.

I groaned giving up on getting out of here. Until I heard someone walk in. I jumped up and looked over at the door to see the same man from that one room in the green suit and cane walk in. He looks at me surprised and raises an eyebrow.

“Well…This is new.” He says, swinging his cane in a full circle and leaned on it. “You are…Melinda…As you say.”

I nodded slowly getting off the bed and away from him.

“Well…You’re keeping your word on that, I see…” he bites the inside of his cheek, “What are you doing here?” he asks,

“You tell me.”

He sucks in a breath and stands up straight, “Well normally, Joker’s hostages are well…Tortured. He accomplished that…Sort of…Then he would ether record you and kill you while rolling, set you in a building and have a time bomb strapped on you, or worse…But that hasn’t happened, so, I have no idea what’s going on in his swirling insane mind of his.” He taps his hat.

“I’m…Sorry. Who are you?”

“The Riddler.” He bows,

“The Riddler…?”

“That’s right.” He sighs, smiling. “Would you like to hear one?”

“Uh, why?”

“’Cause it’s fun!” he chuckles,

“Ugh, I want to know where I am!”

“Oh c’mon, just hear it.”

Rolling my eyes then closing them and nodded my head, “Fine.”

“That’s the spirit! Okay…‘What common English word will describe a person or thing as not being found in any place and yet with no changes other than a space between syllables, will correctly describe that person or thing as being actually present at this very moment?’” he smirks,

“What happens if I answer this correctly?” I asked,

“Nothing.”

“So why should I answer this?”

“’Cause it’s fun to know how the human mind works itself around tough riddles like this.”

I raised my arms up then let them fall at my sides as I shook my head, “I don’t know.”

“NOWHERE.”

“Nowhere?”

“When a space is placed between the 'w' and 'h', you get the words ‘NOW HERE’” he smirks, “It also answer’s your question…You want to know where you are? Nowhere, you'd want to be.” He chuckles again and walks out of the room.

“Fucking weirdo.” I hissed when he closed the door. “I know I’m somewhere, not NOW HERE. Ughhh.” I yelled then turning around and looked around the room.

Tapping my foot made the room echo, which, got annoying after awhile. I walked towards the window again and looked at the city. For hours it felt like; just staring out in the distance in this cold room.

I heard laughing from below. The ‘hee hee’ and ‘ha ha’s’ were a bit annoying yet chilling. I realized I was in his room, and that he was coming up here.

I heard him order his men as he stomps his brown shoes against the old floor boards. I tried to find something to use against him but nothing. The footsteps got louder and louder by the second. I ran over by the door crouched against the wall as the door opened and hid me. He stepped through and looks around the room while I took my chance and snuck out of the room.

I ran down the stairs and through the hallways as I heard Joker screaming behind me as he chased me. I ran through a swinging door to see all the goons in clown masks. They all just stared at me dumbfounded as I quickly got out of that room with Joker still on my tail. I ran for another door that had light under the bottom, desperately grabbing the handle then yanking it open.

I was outside. Outside!

The sweet, yet smelly outside odor! I smiled to myself feeling the air of freedom and ran down the streets as far as my bare feet could handle. Though I may have stepped in some broken glass so my feet were bleeding, but I ignored it.

I came into a 4 way and I didn’t know which way to go. I panicked and went to take off but someone grabbed me from behind. I knew who got me, yet I kicked and screamed from the person to let me go! Usually he probably punch me in the gut or knock me out be he didn’t. He just struggled with me and covered my mouth telling me to shut up. He dragged me back to the ware house then releases his hand from my mouth and threw me over his shoulder, once we were back in the warehouse.

“Let me go you fucking clown!!!” I screamed, pounding on his back.

He didn’t say anything, he ignored me. Taking me up the stairs and into his room then threw me on the bed.

“Stay.” He orders before leaving, locking the door.

Stay? STAY?!

I’m not some god damn dog!

I went to get up but I felt a sharp pain so I sat on the bed and looked at my feet. They were black from the road and bloody. The dirt in my cuts could cause an infection. I see the door open and see the Joker again, with a bowl of water, sterile bandages, medical tape, two cloths, tweezers, and peroxide.

He set them down and took off his jacket and gloves, then rolled up his sleeves as he came over towards me.

“Back off.” I hissed.

He cocks his head, licking his lips as he looks down at my feet then back at me. I kept my glare on him as he rolled his eyes and grabs the bowl of water and one of the cloths and gets on his knees so he could take my foot. I went to pull it back but he gave me a warning look.

He dipped the cloth in water then cleaned my foot carefully, I hissed in pain and grabbed a pillow and buried my head in it. I remembered when I had a splinter in my foot, but this ain’t a splinter, so the pain was so much worse. He moves to clean my other foot then grabs the tweezers and starts pulling out the glass. I cried out in pain and kicked, The Joker growls and grabs a hold of my ankle to keep me still. He does it again and I kicked once again.

“Now, Princess…I can take these out and clean them quickly, but you have to stop…Kicking…Or I will leave them and you will have an infection.” He says slowly, "You wouldn't want that now would you?"

I bit my lip as I felt tears running over the bridge of my nose and onto the pillow. When he tries again, I tried hard not to pull back. Once he was done with that, he got the clean cloth and the peroxide and puts it on the wounds. By now my face was deep into the pillow.

He wraps my feet in the bandages then tapes them tight, he grabs a hold of my calves and looks at me. My eyes were now blood shot from crying as I stared at him.

“Don’t run.”

He stands as I took my legs and put them on the bed not breaking the stare.

“What? No ‘thank you’?” he shrugs his shoulders.

“Thanks.” I muttered quietly.

He nods in approval, and then grabs everything leaving the room.

He didn’t give me a creepy smile, grin. He didn’t cackle, chuckle, laugh in my face as he smacked me around the place. He didn’t do anything. He seemed bi-polar or maybe it was an act ‘because he’s a psycho! I don’t know. He seemed worried that I would get an infection.

I only had one question…

Why bother?