S t o r m Cloud

F o r t y s e v e n

「  F O R T Y  S  E V E N 」

:

Scarlett Quinzel walked the halls of Arkham asylum once more in a subconscious haze. The rich smell of gunpowder and anguish that lingered in the air nothing.

She walked mindlessly beside Joker as he sauntered down the hallways, his purple trench coat swaying with a swish and a flick. His trusted weapon of choice in hand as he fired at any one coming their way. The inhuman glimmer in his eyes as he pulled his arm over Scarlett shoulders pulling her close almost flush against his chest as his trench coat covered her small frame. The chaos consuming them as they made their way through the final hall. But not of that mattered.

Scarlett sat silently in then back of the van between a few of Joker men, his right hand Johnny sat opposite her staring at the small girl who sat idly still. Her eyes to the ground in a blank stare. The dried splatter of blood on her cheek and clothes only amplifying the girls ghostly pale skin. Her doe like eyes narrowing as she fiddled with her slim fingers, still tainted with the crimson colour. Her eyes fluttering shut as she leant her head back against side of the vans walls. Her nose crinkling upwards as she grimaced her eyes flashing open almost as quickly as she had shit them. " It wasn't your fault you know." Johnny said breaking the silence. Her hollow grey eyes staring back at him. Funny, he could of sworn she has hazel brown eyes when they had met earlier on before. But then again she'd been gone for almost 5 months. Faces come and go around here. " It was self defence.—that was your first time wasn't it" her face scrunching up as her lips pulled into a frown. " It's alright kid—listen it gets easier." Scarlett sent Johnny a glare. A small hint of hurt rose in his chest as she glared at him. Her eyes full of shame and regret. "I'm not saying you'll do it again. But In this world it's either kill or be killed. Everyone has to defend for themselves."
Scarlett sat upright pushing her back off the wall. " What makes you think I'm going to stick around. Once this van stops I'm getting out of here. Away from this." Johnny scoffed a polite smile tugging on his lips as the two stared at one another. " You don't just get out of here. Once you're in this world Scarlett there's no going back. Look at Harley;your mother. She left time and time again." " But I'm not my mother." Scarlett interjected a small smile on her face. " I won't make her mistakes."
" Trust me kid.—."
Johnny wasn't able to finish his sentence. The van slowed the engine cutting off. The thump of banging on the doors of the van confirming that they'd arrived. The two doors being tugged open by two henchmen allowing Scarlett to step out. Johnny held his arm out for support as she climbed out. Her eyes scrunching as she winced at the bright light of jokers hideout. Her free hand covering her eyes.
"BABY."
Scarlett stiffened as she felt warm motherly arms wrap themselves around her. A head nuzzling into her straw like tangled hair kissing her forehead.
Mom.
Harley pulled herself out of their embrace cupping her daughters face in her hands. Her tired hollow eyes staring back up at her. Harley internally drowned at her daughters complexion. Her earthly glow dimmed out like a burning out candle, almost gone. But still redeemable Harley thought.
"Hey Harl—." Scarlett began before the obnoxious rumble of a purple Lamborghini rolled before them. Scarlett eyes stared tirelessly on the silhouette of joker as he slid out the drivers door, his tall frame striding towards them, his trench coat dumped aside as he strode towards Johnny who stood beside the two black vans. " boss." Johnny said formally. " You know what i want doing." Joker flatlined, his eyes wandering back to Harley who was making a fuss of Scarlett appearance, however the girls gaze wasn't on her mother showering her in affection slowly pulling her away from the chaos of boys and their toys but on him. The two sharing a small nod of acknowledgement before turning away from one another.

Harley had helped to clean me up before I had dismissed her on the notion that I was going to get some rest. But I couldn't.
Every time I closed my eyes I just saw his glassy stare. The blood seeping from his neck. The ghastly image of the doctor on the floor bleeding out. The image enough to send my stomach churning leaving me wide awake beneath the cool soft sheets of the bed. Scrambling to my feet as i felt the acidic burn creep up my throat into my mouth. The fragments of my stomach falling into a small bin beside the nightstand. My heaving only making me my body shudder and skin grow hot. My eyes growing glassy as tears began to fall from them staining my rosy cheeks. Falling back on to  my bum as I held myself close. The coldness of my finger tips calming as I traced a small pattern into my thighs as I lay on the ground. My head heavy no doubt a headache inbound as I crawled on to my all fours before standing to my feet. Wiping my face of the tears dragging the back of my hand across my mouth in hopes of wiping away any sick that remained on my chapped lips. There was no point in trying to sleep. My mind simple wasn't going to let me. I don't know whether that scared me or infuriated me. The fact I was being haunted by a silly nightmare or the fact I was referring to a death as a silly nightmare in attempt to make myself feel better.
I'd been making my way down the hallway before i realised where I was heading. I was only planning on getting some fresh air. It had been to long since I felt the coldness of Gothams windy nights. My inner paranoia flaring up as every shadow in the hall screamed a threat to me. Everything felt foreign to me. Wrong. My room that I was staying in felt like it was slowly going to start suffocating me. What if I was dreaming this all up. What if I wasn't out of that cell. What if I hadn't made it off that gurney and was currently drifting between my consciousness. It wouldn't be the first time. With my anxiety growing I grew closer to the main entrance of the warehouse. But it wasn't until i reached the top of the metal staircase that I noticed a dim light illuminating a room. Hesitantly I stopped heading towards the staircase but towards the door. Familiarity rising within me as I reached for the handle. Surely he wouldn't be so careless, Would he? As I opened the door stepping inside I saw him say there. A small glass of expensive liquor in one hand swirling its contents around until knocking it back. His cold eyes staring blankly at the bottom of the glass. It was then I noticed the tray, the tray covered in bloodied pieces of glass. He'd gotten hurt, but when. Surely he'd noticed my looming presence by now. Surel— " Let me guess. You can't sleep?" His words rolling off his tongue in a bland manner. " yeah." His eyes now falling onto me as he leaned forward to pour himself another glass his eyes narrowed as he focused souly on the glass in hand. His eyes pulled away from me. " It'll get easier." The glass pulled away from his lips. "The nightmares." His hand waving about before he knocked back the glasses contents once again this time not bothering to savour the taste. " They'll fade over time." His hand raking through his hair. " But they won't go away will they." I asked stepping closer away from the door. My answer causing him to look away almost guiltily as if he was about to lie the biggest lie through his teeth. " I didn't know you got hurt—When did—." " It doesn't really matter." He began as he scrunched up his face rubbing a hand along it. As he stood to his feet placing the glass upon his desk. "I've got things to do—if you—." His words cut short by a muffled scream coming from the back of his office, a small door that I hadn't noticed before shuddered as a saw a small light glowing underneath. " What's—." The small door opening a tad as Johnny stepped out. " Sorry boss bu—Scarlett I didn't—." " Hi"
As Johnny stepped aside I caught sight of them. A small row of guards all bent into their knees restricted if movement, beaten. "Oh my god." I gasped hoping this wasn't another sick and twisted nightmare. my arms pushing both men out the way standing before a man who's face I couldn't see. His ragged mop of brown hair hiding his face. " You can't do this." My bottom lip quivering almost as I caught sight of the tools around the room. My heart pounding as I began to breathe heavy. Flashes of Arkham standing over me with those primitive shock pads burned into my mind. My hands subconsciously itching at my palms. "This isn't right—." I shuddered my stomach twisting and turning my mouth falling dry. The familiar hmm of the machine making me subconsciously reach for my temples.
The man before me slowly began to raise his bloodied head. "Hello sunshine." He grunted with a twisted smile on his face, blood smeared across his teeth. "Griggs." I whispered breathlessly the air in my lungs clenching trapped in my throat. My fists slowly clenching as everything he'd done to me began to flood my mind. Every single little thing burning my eye sockets. My teeth beginning to grind together as I clenched my jaw. I could practically feel my blood bubbling, boiling over until i felt my arm pulling back as i landed a heavy punch onto the side of his head. His head twisting inhumanly to the side as he spat out a mouthful of blood, blood that began to dribble down his chin onto the floor. A aggravated gasp leaving my lips as I pulled back my fist holding my bloodied knuckles.
" I hope you rot in hell."