Chapter 27:
Arkham Asylum
The smell of burning flesh and medication filled my nostrils. I could hear the wailing of the inmates through the walls, the sound made the hairs on my neck stand up. The fluorescent lights flickered on the linoleum floors and my shoes squeaked as I walked down the stretch of hallway towards the delinquents wing. Doctors and security guards passed, looking me up and down before continuing on. I watched the room numbers ascend as I got closer to my destination. I stopped in front of my brothers door and took a deep breath, I tried to calm my racing heart and to still my shaking body. I closed my eyes and raised my hand, balling it into a fist before I mustered up the courage to knock.
"Dean?" I asked, taking my hand away from the door, and reaching for the handle. I opened the door and entered the poorly lit room. The sun struggled to peek beyond the closed blinds. Dean sat in his bed, staring at the bare wall. His hands and feet were bound to the bed so that he could not reach out, or get free. Thinking about how they got him here made me cringe.
I sat down on the bed, making it creak under my weight. He didn't move. I sighed and placed a hand on his knee, he didn't react. I tried to find some kind of Dean that I used to know. I searched his eyes, but saw only a blank stare. What happened? How did this all go sour so fast?
"I came to tell you what's been going on." I started, there still was no reaction. I tried to make eye contact but his gaze saw through me. "Mom and Dad are getting divorced, Dad already moved out." I said, looking towards the window. The sun was so bright outside, how could it be so dark here? "He lives Downtown next to the Metro, it sucks. The train goes until late, and I can't sleep. It's so loud." I laughed a bit. I put my hands in my lap and wrung them together nervously. Why did I come here? "I miss you Dean, it's not the same without you." I confessed, my eyes starting to collect tears. "It's really hard going through this alone, I almost wish that we could switch places so that I wouldn't have to deal with all this grown up shit." I said, "I know that life isn't fair, but why does it have to be like this?" I asked myself. Dean continued to stare into a void. "I don't like the fact that Mom and Dad are separated, I hate that you're in here, and Bruce is gone for another week. I have so much homework to do all the time it seems, I'm failing two classes and I have no way of making those grades go up." I looked over on his nightstand and saw six different pill bottles, I sighed and looked back at my brother. "Dean, can you hear me in there? Please let me know somehow. I want to know why you tried to kill me. I need to know what happened to my little brother." I paused, "Should I even try to get through to you? I know that you're really drugged up, but I feel like you can hear me in there."
I felt deflated, unwanted. I looked behind me at the clock on the wall. Three hours had passed as I sat here and told Dean everything. I stood and ruffled his hair like I used to when he was relaxing on the couch and I wanted to annoy him. He didn't even twitch when I kissed his forehead in farewell. I closed the door behind me and started to walk back the way I came. I passed the closed doors and heard more screams. As I heard the screams something broke through them, it was faint and distant but I could hear it as clear as a bell. That laugh, etched into my mind from countless nights of hearing it from above me. Joker was here in Arkham. Why was I surprised? I knew that Joker was stuffed in here after he was arrested at school. He didn't have anywhere else to go, this was the only nut house within three-hundred miles.
Arkham Asylum was a massive complex, with many wings and separate wards for special cases, and particular people. Where was Joker? The main building itself was four stories tall and looked like a jail. Was he there? The whole entire property was surrounded by a fifteen foot barbed wire fence hooked up to an electrical current. He couldn't possibly get out. Security guards that seemed to be half sane stood at the exits and entrances of every hall. I walked safely out to my car and got in. I looked at my hands and found that they were shaking. I looked back, before pulling away from the gates. "Bye, Dean." I said, "see you later." I whispered, hopping on the highway and driving to my home. This week I was with my Mom, who, overcome with grief has buried herself in work. I walked in the quiet house and went to the study where she sat under piles of papers.
"Hi sweetie." She mummbled, not looking up from her papers.
"Hi Mom,"
"How was it, I'm sorry I couldn't come. I just have so much to do, and-"
"Yeah, I understand. He looks okay enough. He's really pale, and his brain is just a bunch of porridge." I explained as she looked at me, her blue eyes filled with regret and guilt. "He didn't respond to anything that I said." I stated sadly, "I never even saw him blink, he just stared at the wall." Mom sighed and put her head in her hands.
"But I mean, what other choice do we have?" She asked, helplessly. I shrugged,
"None really, it would be too much money to send him elsewhere, and it would be too far away to visit him like we do." Well, like I do. Neither of my parents had made an obvious effort to see their son. I was angry at them for not trying like I was. I at least attempted to coax my brother out of the void of madness. At least I tried.
"Anyways, other than Dean, how was your day?" She asked, I half laughed, remembering the conversation that Hal and I had at lunch. I shook my head and looked at the floor, leaning on the doorframe and scuffing my feet. "What happened? You're turning red." She asked, I put my hand up to my cheek. Yes, I was blushing. Why?
"Nothing, just something funny." She looked at me, wanting me to continue. "You had to be there. It wouldn't make any sense otherwise." She nodded.
"Well, I'm going to finish this up and then I'll make dinner for all of-" She caught herself and sighed. "You and I." She finished, her eyes went down and she started focusing on her work again.
"I'm going to do some homework."
As a afterthought, Mom cleared her throat. "Bruce called for you today, he was leaving a message just as I was walking in the door, half of it's on the machine if you want to hear it." She called after me, my heart skipped a beat. Why hadn't I called him at all this week? It's gone by so fast. I walked over to the machine and pressed the play button. I heard crackling in the background before his voice broke through.
"Hi, Catrina. It's Bruce calling. I just wanted to see how things were, I have some bad news. It looks like I'm going to be in Switzerland for longer than I anticipated. I'm not sure how much longer... I just wanted to hear how you were-" The machine cut off, it must have been when my Mom answered the phone. I picked it up, the wire stretching as I walked to the stool in the kitchen. Mom saw me, and closed the study door. I called Bruce, hoping that he wasn't too busy at the time. What time was it in Switzerland? I looked at our clock, and listened to the tone change as I was sent through to his cellular device. It was six o'clock our time.
"Uh, hello?" Asked a groggy voice on the other end.
"Hi, is this Bruce Wayne?" Maybe I dialed the wrong number?
"Speaking." he said befuddled
"Hey, it's Catrina." My chest deflated with relief.
"Catrina!" He exclaimed, my chest swelled with joy at the sound of him saying my name. "I was wondering if you were going to call back." He said, more awake than he was before.
"Yeah, I just got home." I said, he didn't say anything on the other side.
"It's like, midnight- oh wait. You're six hours behind."
"Oh my, did I wake you? I'm sorry Bruce. I can call you in the morning." I pulled the phone away from my face.
"No, no. I want to hear your voice. I miss you, Catrina." He called me back, his voice panicked.
"I miss you too." Tears welled in my eyes and all of my problems came gushing out of my mouth like Niagara falls. Dean, Joker, the divorce, moving half in with my Mom and half with my Dad. It all just came in waves. He listened, I knew he was.
"Catrina, I think that... Oh Cat, I just want to kiss you and make you shut up. I don't want you to have all these problems." He said, desperately. I waited for him to continue, not sure how to react to his comment. "I just want you here with me right now, so I can try and make everything right."
"But you can't, it's out of your control." I said, he sighed deeply.
"I don't want you to go through this alone,"
"It's all right, Bruce. I'll survive."
"Cat, I don't want you to be sad."
"I know." There was silence. Bruce sighed, thinking.
"How's Hal." He asked, "I haven't heard much from him either." I laughed again,
"He's Hal." I said vaguely. Bruce asked me to continue, and I told him about lunch today, and all the jokes that he makes that are just what Hal would do. I told him about how, after school everyday we would ride out in the country and I would stand out of the moon roof even though it was still bitter cold outside. I told him about the tutoring, and about how Hal saved me from Joker. That's when Bruce interjected.
"Good, I'm glad someone is watching out for you."
"Yeah, it's a good thing that he was there. I don't even know what Jared wanted, he just shoved me up against the bookshelf and demanded me to listen before Hal stepped in and beat the snot out of him." I explained, Bruce breathed at the other end. He was getting sleepy, I could tell. "I'll let you go, you should get back to sleep."
"But we haven't even been talking for that long." He complained, then yawned.
"Well, what time did you go to sleep?" I asked,
"Just like three hours ago, and I have to get up around six."
"So you need sleep."
"Hey, wait. Before you go, I need to tell you." He paused, I knew what was coming.
"I know, you're staying longer than expected." I said, my heart sinking.
"Yeah, I don't know when I'll be back." I sighed.
"I really miss you Catrina."
"I miss you too, Bruce."
"I'll see you as soon as I get home." He promised, I hung up the phone after saying goodbye. I was disappointed that he wouldn't be in town for longer than anticipated.
***
As the week, turned into the weekend. It was time for me to spend the next week with my Dad. I am only seventeen, and I still am a minor. I chose to see my Dad every other week, just so that we would all be sane. I drove myself to his apartment on Friday night, after I tutored Hal for an hour or so after school and grabbed some dinner. I thought of nothing in particular as I walked up the stairs to my Father's apartment. When I opened the door, he sat at the table eating pizza.
"Hey, how are you?" He asked, getting up and walking over to give me a big hug. He missed me, I knew.
"Hey, I'm good." I said, "I all ready ate though, sorry Dad."
"Nah, not a big deal. You can have this for breakfast tomorrow morning."
"Yes, I think I will." I said, looking at the mountain of pizza. Just like Mom makes it. "What are we doing tonight? Anything special?" I asked, he sat back down at the table and shook his head.
"No, I was thinking just some movies and stuff. I'm going to turn in early tonight, I'm beat." He explained, I looked at the stove clock.
"It's all ready six o'clock." I said, he nodded.
"Just enough time for a movie." He said, after he ate, we watched his favorite movie, Die Hard.
After he went to bed, I stayed up and read a new book for a while. It was really interesting, I started to really get into it and didn't notice when my brain stopped reading the words on the page. They started swimming around in my mind and I fell asleep on the couch. "Catrina!!!!" Two hands shook me awake, I jolted upright and banged my forehead with my Dad's. He held his gun in his hands. "Shut off all the lights and hide in the closet! Now!" He demanded, I sat there, dumbfounded. "MOVE!" He screamed. I ran around the small apartment and flicked all the lights off. I ran blindly to a closet and shut myself in it. My Dad joined me a few seconds later. My heart was beating so fast that I heard it in my ears and I could feel it in my neck. My adrenaline was pumping at maximum speed and my reflexes were heightened.
"What's going on?" I asked, he breathed heavily with the pistol held towards the ceiling.
"All of the inmates at Arkham have been let loose, they closed the island off, so we're trapped here with all the maniacs," He whispered, there was a scream from outside. It was muffled and then it stopped. "I locked all the doors and windows, no one should be able to get in unless they bust down the door." He whispered, reaching for my hands that were shaking. His walkie talkie crackled next to him.
"Mike, we need you out here." It said, he picked it up.
"I'm a little busy protecting my daughter."
"Out here, or you're fired. You don't want that right now do you?"
"I'm going to stay with my daughter, fire me." He demanded. I had only begun to grasp the situation when I heard a noise outside.
"Shh." I hissed, there was knocking at the door of the apartment. Dad put down the walkie talkie and listened, letting go of my hand and picking up the gun again. We stood, pressed up against each other listening intently. I could hear his hammering heartbeat. His walkie talkie crackled again.
"We, need you out here Mike! We don't have any other options!"
"Cool it Gordan!" He demanded, he looked down at me and groaned. "Do you think that you can hold down the fort while I'm gone?" He asked, I nodded silently. He held his walkie talkie to his face. "I'll be down in 5 minutes." He said, opening the closet door and stepping out. There was gunfire outside.
"They've got weapons." Informed his walkie talkie.
"Shit." He whispered, throwing on his jacket and running back to his room to grab his belt.
"Dad, be careful." I begged, he stood by the door putting on his shoes. Tears were gathering in my eyes, and I couldn't help think that I might never see him again.
"I will, I promise." He pulled me close and kissed the top of my head.
"I love you, Daddy." I whispered quietly as he ran out the door. I locked and dead bolted the door after his departure. I went to the hallway, and sat down. I jumped at every creak, and scream. I flinched at every boom of a gun from outside. I sat as still as a statue for an hour, before there was an actual knock on the apartment door. I stared fearfully at it, deathly afraid of what was on the other side. Joker? A psychopath with a gun? A rapist?
"Catrina!?" Called a voice from the other side. "Catrina! Are you there?" Begged a voice. I slowly rose, and stalked towards the door. Utter blackness had fallen around me, the ob=nly thing illuminating the island was the moon. The milky light of the moon poured into the apartment from the small kitchen window. My heart thumped loudly in my chest. "Catrina! Please, if you're in there!" There were sounds of struggle, I had made it to the door. I peaked through the peephole to see Hal. I quickly unlocked the door and flung it open. I grabbed Hal by his black leather jacket and dragged him inside the apartment. Fear was painted on his face, his shirt was blood stained and he had a rip all the way down the front. I slammed the door behind us and locked it again.
"Hal, what are you doing here!?"
"Come on!" he grabbed my forearm, and yanked me towards the door, he started unlocking it again. "I have to get you-"
"No! We stay here!" I demanded, closing the door just before he opened it. He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me violently.
"I have to get you somewhere safe!" He yelled.
"We are sa-" I screamed, the window shattered with a bullet flying through it. I grabbed fistfulls of Hals shirt and clamped myself to him. He grabbed the back of my head and sank to the floor. He looked up, and I didn't let go of him. He dragged me up and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, sheltering me from the continuing gun fire. He pulled me out of the apartment, and down the hallway. Chaos was in the streets, people who were covered in blood that may or may not have been their own, ran screaming across streets. Steam from the sewers rose from the vents of the streets. The orange glow from the street lamps covered the streets in an eerie glow. Men and women in orange jumpsuits ran around with guns and machetes, covered with blood.
It was hard for me to keep up with Hal's long legs as we ran down streets, alleys and ducked through low hanging archways. I trusted him to lead me to safety. He opened a door and ushered me inside. "Where are we?" I asked, still shaking.
"We aren't there yet." He said, opening another door, I stopped. The stairway was illuminated with white fluorescent lights. My head pounded with my heart, Hal seized my hand and pulled me swiftly up twenty flights of stairs. "Come on, we have to hurry." He huffed, when I started slowing down.
"Where are you taking me?" I asked,
"Safety."
"Why?" I asked, breathlessly.
"Because I have to."
"Why?"
"Stop asking and hurry." He demanded, unlocking a door. He pulled me through it and turned on a light. Bruce's penthouse was silent. Hal ran around to the kitchen, and pressed a button under the counter. A door opened near the hallway that before was invisible to the eyes. A small room was inside, Hal grabbed my arm and shoved me inside.
"Hal, NO!" I screamed, he closed the door and immediately I heard a thud against the wall. The door opened again, and I saw a hideous smile plastered across a face. The Joker laughed and hauled me out by my hair. He threw me on the ground and climbed on top of me. He held a knife coated in sticky red liquid in his hand. Hal was hunched in a corner nursing a stab wound. Harley Quinn shoved Joker over and grabbed my throat. She started banging my head against the floor, screaming and laughing. When I started bleeding, she stopped throwing my head against the floor.
"You're dead to me!" She screamed, producing a clean, silver knife out of thin air. She pressed it to my throat and prepared to slit it when there was an explosion behind us. The window of the kitchen descended into the room. I held my hands up to my face to block the shards of glass. An arrow shot through the now open window and hit Harley in the neck. It went through her porcelain white skin, she fell over dead. I scrambled away from her, and looked out of the window, I saw the blackness of the night and nothing more. Joker sawm into my view and squirted my eyes with some liquid that made them burn. Some got into my mouth.
"Oopsy!" He giggled, taking my arm. I struggled to get away, and to see but the Joker was pried off of me.
"Hal?" I croaked. My vision blurred and my legs became weak. "Hal," I whispered turning to face whoever had saved me. I felt hard, muscular arms wrap around my waist and lift me up. It wasn't Hal. I started to panic because all I saw was that his face was black and I didn't know if it was black because of the poison that had been sprayed into my eyes or because of the hood that shadowed his face. His arms flexed under my weight. My eyes swelled shut and I became light headed. I couldn't feel my limbs anymore.
"Just relax, you're safe now."
"What about Hal?" My head rested against my saviors chest, I could hear his hammering heart against my ear and I could feel his steady breath on my face. There was no use in trying to get away.
"He'll be all right." Said a gravely voice. Blackness engulfed me as all of my senses shut down.