Doe Eyes ✧ Gotham [1] #Wattys2019

chapter twenty-three

PLEASE KEEP COMMENTING YOUR REACTIONS TO THINGS THAT HAPPEN DURING THE CHAPTER AND JUST THE CHAPTER IN GENERAL

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             The sound of people screaming (out of exhilaration and pain) filled Jane's ears until she felt numb. The circus Jerome had taken her and Bruce was beyond horrible. People were being tortured left and right, and the whole atmosphere of being in a circus brought back old feelings. She stared at her reflection in the mirror in front of her and wanted to cry. Staring back at her was a forced happy clown face. Under her eyes and around her mouth were painted white and her lips were painted in a happy red smile that resembled the stretched-out smile of her brother's stapled face. Jane kept staring, feeling hopeless. Growing up, she was terrified of clowns. This was mostly because of how horrible the clowns were at the circus she grew up in. They were cruel and drunks and often hit women, children and each other. Her brothers always exploited this fear of hers, and that was exactly what Jerome was trying to bring back.

Jane's brother appeared behind her, smiling at her reaction. "Well don't you look like such a happy clown." She glared at him. Jane hated him.

Smile pretty for the kids!

Remember that clown that screwed your mom and then kicked you around so hard you starting coughing up blood? How old were you then? Eight? Ten? Maybe that happened more than once.

Can't wait to see what else Jerome has in store!

This is going to be fun.

Jane gulped, fearing what else he had in mind. 

Next to her sat Bruce, getting a similar face down on him. The only difference was his clown was sad and had a few fake tear drops falling from his eyes. Jerome turned his attention to him and fake pouted. "Gotta say Bruce, you don't make the world's funniest clown." Jerome smiled as he reached into his pocket. "But.." Out he pulled a knife and Jane got nervous. Who was getting stabbed now? "We can fix that." Jerome made it seem like he was going to cut the sides of Bruce's mouth to make him smile as he grabbed him, but instead, stabbed the knife in Jane's side. 

Jane gasped and groaned as she watched the blood seep through her clothes. Her brother then proceeded to stick his finger into the wound. Jane groaned in pain as she tried fighting against him. But alas, it was a failure as one of Jerome's followers held her down. Jerome rolled his eyes at his sister's whining. "Oh shut up, you big baby." 

With Jane's blood on his finger, he traced Bruce's mouth in a frown. "Let's turn that frown upside down."

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Jane was shaking as Jerome had his arm around her and Bruce, admiring all the fun his followers were having. Her wound was still untreated, and she was getting more and more in pain. Her left hand was trying to hold all the blood in but it wasn't doing much. She was stuck bleeding out while Bruce was trying to find a way to save him and Jane's lives.

"Is there a plan for all of this madness?" Bruce spoke with much hatred towards Jerome. Jane wished she could be that bold against him, but nevertheless praised Bruce internally for his boldness. 

"These people don't want a plan - they want an excuse," Jerome replied rather happily. "The mother who dreams of strangling her child. The husband who wants to stab his wife." Jerome looked over to his sister and smirked. "The young girl who wants to kill fourteen people." Jane looked away and paled. Of course he would throw that back into her face. As if she hadn't gone through enough self-hatred over that incident. Jerome turned back to Bruce. "All they want is someone to tell them... 'Do it. Kill them. It doesn't matter.'"