Just Paint Your Face

Daisy

Ivy was going nuts. She was blubbering on and on about how she should've been with me, watching me. She wouldn't stop crying. I began to get tired of it. I ruffled my hair in exasperation, waved my hands in front of her face, frowning. I wished The Joker wouldn't have left. He would've put some sense in her. Whatever the hell sense to him was. I finally took up the legal pad and tore a clean page, picking up the sharpie.

I wrote in big, green letters:

IVY. SHUT. UP.

I'm alive.

I tugged at her long, red hair, which hung sorrowfully around her reddened eyes. She blinked as I pushed the legal pad to her.

She laughed a hollow laugh and smiled weakly, wiping her eyes hurriedly. I smiled back in reassurance. This wasn't so bad. My head still pained me a bit, but it was fading. I wasn't a very good singer, and I hardly had anything quick and snappy to say like The Joker did. I didn't have Ivy's sugary bitter tone or The Joker's nasally masculine one. But I had a gimmick now. I figured my lack of voice could be just as profound as their distinct styles.

And so I accepted my 'disability'. We sat for a while, with her asking questions and me answering back in nods or hastened writings. She asked me about if I saw anything that night, if I dreamed anything.

I dreamed a lot of things. Random bits and pieces. My longest one consisted of myself and The Joker walking through a garden maze. He looked normal and his face was perfect. He really was a nice looking dude. There was singing and he was following it. I had a picnic basket in my hand. Suddenly a ring went off.

"Hello?" He'd said. He was so soft spoken. It surprised me. I saw him twitch strangely as a female voice, loud and complaining, sounded.

"What did I say about calling me, Jeannie?"

I blinked, confused.

He didn't notice. I don't think he ever really registered that that was my name.

"I'm with my daughter. Leave me alone." His voice became gruff again. I heard the singing in the distance get louder.

"Ten nine eight and I'm breaking away..."

He started arguing with the woman on the phone, trembling with the force of his voice. He walked in the direction of the voice.

"She's ours, you can't have her."

"Yes. OURS."

"WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DIE! ...Oh fuck."

Whoever the lady was, she was standing in front of us. She looked rather plain but she looked mean. She looked like she wanted something. Like a housewife who never got to see her husband's paycheck.

"Hi, Jack. Daisy."

"You go away. You go away and never come back."

"Or what?"

The singing got closer.

"I'm all dressed up and ready to play..."

Flowers bloomed around us. The woman named Jeannie looked like she was afraid for a moment.

"There's a girl in the garden..." The Joker, who I supposed was actually named Jack, muttered and smiled strangely.

Jeannie materialized in front of me. She forced my mouth open. I screamed. It wasn't just my scream. It was a thousand screams. Shrill and unbreaking. I tried to break away, but she was strong. I glanced over at Jack. He was on the ground, his face was bloody. He was clambering over to Jeannie, his eyes filled with rage. I looked away quickly. The blood dripping slowly off his face like sloppy kisses from lipstick made me scared.

"Seven six five four and I'm all over you..."

Birds flew from my mouth. Three little birds. Purple, red, green. They twittered softly in the direction of a gathering darkness on the horizon. Jeannie laughed as my never ending symphony of screams died out. She let go and I fell back into the flowers, my tongue feeling heavy in my mouth. Jack was mumbling crazily, tearing hair from his skull. The blood dripped from his face, upon the white petals of daisies. Jeannie gasped suddenly.

"Counting three two one and I'm having fun."

It was Ivy. She was covered in thorns. She looked like something horrid, something monstrous, but undeniably beautiful. Jeannie glowered.

"So here's the whore." She spat.

Ivy cocked an eyebrow. Jack was still muttering wildly, twitching his hands all over his face. I could only lay, breathing in the garden and watching the birds leave.

"You know," I heard Ivy say sweetly, "it's bitches like you who make men into sniveling kids."

Jeannie gaped at her. She froze as ivy wrapped her up, dragging her forward.

Ivy brought her close, smiling bitterly, "Oh. And you know what else?"

"You don't touch what's mine."

Blood. On his face. On his hands. On her vines. On her legs.

All over the daisies.

"Daisy? You alright?" Ivy snapped her fingers and whispered softly.

I blinked. Shuddered. Nodded.

No. I didn't dream anything. Just kind of blacked out.

She nodded in understanding, but I could tell she didn't believe me. Goofy walked in.

"I knew it. Ya'll owe me 200."

Grumpy groaned and Happy laughed. They each produced 100 dollar bills.

Ivy smirked, "I really should be mad about you guys betting on something like that."

"But you can't get mad at us. We're The Joker's top boys."

She shrugged, "I know that by now."

I smiled. Happy smiled back. I looked away quickly.

"How goes it?"

I nodded.

"She dumb?" Grumpy frowned.

"Actually, yes." Ivy proclaimed.

"But she's alive."

"She's alive."

"Well then come on. There's breakfast." We followed them down the hall. Grumpy stomped ahead, his huge dark arms swinging close to his sides. Goofy was loping away in his usual comic stride. He was southern and very pale. Happy hummed and snapped his fingers. Happy was very handsome and looked only a couple of years older than me. I'd only seen him a couple of times, but every time I did I liked seeing him. I didn't really know why.

We ate while watching the stinking morning show. I heard sounds of a trash bag being dragged haphazardly across the floor. I turned. I saw a hand flop out and almost barfed.

"Hey! Hey! Listen to me. Be careful on your way out with that thing."

Ivy looked livid, "Why'd you kill him?"

The Joker shrugged from his position on the old sofa, "Oh. Um. Huh. Well... I couldn't have him running back to the Italien and telling him of our whereabouts." He licked his lip thoughtfully, blinking.

Ivy rolled her eyes.

"Look, I got the pills and some bandages, that's all we need."

"You didn't have to kill him." She spat.

He stood, "Since when do I not have to do anything? I do things. On my own time. By my rules. Uh, you know?"

"All too well." She sighed and turned away. He seemed not to notice her discontent and walked out of the room, muttering in that crazy way again. I suddenly noticed that his shirt was torn. He was running a hand across his scars as he left.

I looked down at the shriveled bacon and couldn't eat anymore. After about 30 minutes Ivy sighed, eyeing me worriedly for a few moments before I smiled at her, and left the TV room. Soon it was just Happy, Goofy, Grumpy, and I.

"Hey Mime."

I looked up. Goofy made up his own names for everyone. I wondered why.

"You wanna learn how to play blackjack?"

I shrugged and took a seat amongst them, watching their fast hands deal the cards. They explained the game and soon I was joining them. I enjoyed myself, forgetting all about my lack of vocalization. Several minutes must've passed before The Joker walked in, face painted and suit donned. He giggled.

"Daisy."

I looked up.

"Since you're better and all, I think we should celebrate. Who wants to party tonight, huh?"

Goofy and Happy cheered. Grumpy shrugged. I clapped my hands.

Ivy appeared beside him. She looked mad, as if she'd just gotten into an argument with him. I realized she probably didn't want me going. She was probably worried sick.

The Joker tugged at her hair, "It's okay. She'll be fine. Quiet as a mouse, won't you, kid?"

I mimed shushing and held a finger to my lip. He cackled madly.

"Well then, let's get ready. Chop chop!"