Down Come Seven (ReWrite 2018)

S M I L E Y F A C E

oOoOo- Smiley Face -oOoOo

Joker Chic stood over us, arm raised.

For the first time, the deranged grin of her mask finally seemed to fit.

Madness.

Beside me, the Brat almost seemed to vibrate with anger.

"Don't..." I tried to say but was ignored as the Brat flew to his feet and threw himself at the Joker.

Who laughed.

"Whoops."

Dancing casually out of the kid's path, the Joker swung her card down.

As a result, the ground before our feet was sliced open with a sharp crack.

Close.

Mockingly close.

....I didn't know.

If this was real.

If something had happened Joker Chic...Or if this is who she had been all along...

...How to stop her.

What I did know, was that laying here stupid was going to get me killed.

Clutching my healing chest, I forced myself to stand. The girl...the one that wasn't a constant source of noise and annoyance, helped pull me to my feet

Where I wavered, one hand reaching up to feel the slice growing in my mask. Transferring from my chest with every heartbeat.

Damn it.

The Brat cried out as a gash opened up in his arm. I lifted my head in time to see the Joker trip the younger boy as he stumbled in pain.

"Are you crying?" Before the Brat could recover, the Joker reached down grabbed him by the hair. "You, more than anyone else, should know that this is how the world works kid."

"Damn it Loose Screws." The Brat clawed at the hand in his hair. "Fight it."

She lifted her card to his neck.

"Blame the Celebrity." The Joker held him grimly still. "If she had left you to die, you never would have had to know what hope felt like."

Do something.

"Stop Idiot!" I snapped, frustrated. "This isn't you."

She froze.

Then slowly, released the Brat.

I took a breath in relief.

"I."

My blood ran cold.

"Am. Not"

Standing, Joker Chic tilted her head towards us.

"A n I d i o t."

Then she swung her arm.

I was shoved to the side. Off my feet and to the ground.

Blood splattered the air, registering even before I realised what had happened.

Before I saw the Staring girl, laying in a growing pool of blood.

...It started as a giggle...then grew into wild laughter.

Sitting up, I stared at the small broken body...frozen as the Joker laughed at us.

"Pfft...! You actually thought... I was going... to Stop!?"