It was the Joker..... holding me in his arms... he had given me the rose and I had just danced with him.... blushing and laughing the night away as we did so because I couldn't help the feeling of excitement and mystery I felt around the "stranger".
But now I thought different... he hadn't been flirting with me.. he couldn't have, he wouldn't. He was the Joker after all. He could never like anyone... I mean.. in that way.
I was suddenly snapped out of my trance when everyone in the room started clapping and cheering. What was all the commotion about?
The man... erm, Joker, lifted me back up and bowed. They were clapping for us? That's when I realized that everyone else on the floor had stopped dancing, the spotlights had been on us for the entirety of the dance.
I stood there still shocked, not knowing what to do. Bruce Wayne came from somewhere out of the crowd and greeted us with a warm smile, then he turned to the crowd.
"Let's give it up for our princess and Prince charming of the night everyone!!" The crowd clapped and whistled louder.
More like beauty and the beast, I couldn't help to think. The Joker bowed and tilted his head up straight staring at me as he did, then walked away into crowd.
Why didn't he just-? I didn't know what to think, I was so confused... why would-?? Grr... I couldn't seem to find one explination to anything anymore...
Bruce Wayne invited me over to socialize and maybe get a little drunk with him and his friends, have some fun. We both walked over to a man with blonde hair standing next to a women with brownish hair.
"Hi, I'm Alisa." I introduced myself and immediately recognized the women... she had stood up to the joker that night, and would have gotten her face carved if it weren't for me..... trying to run away.
I couldn't tell if I was more of a coward or hero in people's eyes.
We talked, the four of us, for about 20 minutes, drinking wine and champaign. And everyone once in a while I would notice Bruce tense his face.. as if he were in agony. But I didn't give too much attention to it... I was still focused on the Joker.
After a while we all split up and I walked through a pair of double doors into a long dark hallway, the lights off. Yet the hall was illuminated by the lights of the city, the whole left side of the hall was all glass windows. I tried looking for a restroom.
I had the fingure tips of my right hand on the wall, sliding them against it as I walked by.
Finally I found a women's restroom and I went to reach for the door but was immediately pushed up against the wall, a hand covering my mouth.
It was the him.
"Sh sh sh sh... I'm not here to kill you Alisa."
I squirmed a little, struggling to get out of his grip, but it was pointless. Finally he let me go, holding a fingure over his mouth.
I scrunched up my face and started to yell.
"WHAT the fuck kind of game are you playing here? Huh?! Quit messing with my head! I didn't do anything to you, just leave me the fuck alone or God so help me!..." I couldn't take it anymore.
I took the knife out of my pocket and turned the tables, pushing the joker against the wall holding the knife to his neck. I knew he was letting me have my moment though because he wasn't even trying to struggle at all, he could have very easily taken the knife from me.
But I didn't care, I was drunk, and angry. He looked at me and frowned.
"What? You think I won't do it? That I'm scared?"
I looked at the knife against his neck for a moment. My hand shaking violently..... could I do it? Would I do it even if I could?
I gave up trying to play games with my self. I took the knife away from his neck, threw my hand up and as hard as I could, stabbed it in the wall next to his right shoulder.
I took a couple steps back, the Joker looking at me puzzled, but not relieved. The whole time I'd been playing his game, and I just now realized it. He wanted me to stab him, he wanted to prove that I could be just like him. That he could turn anyone into a monster.
"I'm am nothing like you, and I never will be. Keep playing your games, but I'm done, I've had enough."
He gently took off his mask and straightened his suit. His makeup freshly done. This time he scrunched up his face.
"No darling you'll see, your exactly like me, you're just too afraid of what you really are. So keep hiding in your shadow, but one day the sun will come out from behind the clouds, the city will be illuminated in flames. And that's when there will be no shadow."
He violently took the knife out of the wall and shoved it in his pocket. He stared at me a moment, and then walked away without another word.
He wanted me to stab him. Somehow in his dick and twisted mind, that made me him.
At the moment, I was happy though. I had just won this battle. But the Joker was still free to roam around as he pleased, so I'm not sure how big of a victory that was.
I looked at the hole in the wall, thinking I should probably go somewhere else. I walked quickly back into the ballroom, but only for a brief moment. People were laughing and dancing. Cheering on eachother, having fun. There was a table by the door and a bucket of ice with bottles of wine in it.
I looked around to see if anyone was watching me and then I swiftly took one of the unopened bottles. Has to be good, probably exspensive; considering Bruce Wayne was hosting this party.
I took the bottle behind my back and slipped out through the doors into the hallway again. I walked some time, staring out the windows at the city.
Soon enough I found a door that led outside and I walked out it.
I went a little ways down the street. I felt in my pocket for my keys. They were cold and had a smooth texture and I rubbed my fingers across their zig zagging edges. I felt strange. I took them out, stared at them for a moment and thrn threw them at a stop sign I was passing by. As if secretly it was trying to tell me a message, give me some advice.
I plopped myself down on the curve by a closed hair salon. It was probably around 10 or something by now. I stuck the top spongy part of the bottle in my mouth and pulled on it for a good minute before it finally popped off.
I spit the cap out to my left. I let my eyelids fall heavy for a couple seconds and I cleared my thoughts. The night was still, the air cold, clear.
"Cheers.... I guess."
I took the wine bottle in my mouth and tilted my head up towards the night sky. I gagged a bit in reaction to it; this stuff was strong, was hard to swallow it down. But I managed.
I did this eventually drinking most of it, and by then I could hardly stand. I tried to get up but failed miserably and landed right on my ass, I only laughed at myself. I put both my hands out on the ground.
I stuck my feet out too and, although very dizzy and wobbly, I managed ti stand up. I took the bottle, looked down at it, and then threw it across the street, hearing it break somewhere I couldn't see.
I dont know why, but I kust had this weird feeling I'd never felt before....I leaned my self against stores to hold my weight as I walked, if you could call it walking.
I eventually came down to a club that was still open. I could hear the music from outside. All I cared about at this point was nothing really. If I got laid tonight, arrested, murdered. Who gives a shit? What's the point of living life if we aren't free to do as we please. And I was a prisoner in my own mind. Maybe he was getting to me.
I suddenly felt very dizzy and started to fall backwards. I fell right into someone's arms. Strong arms for that matter. The arms picked me up and carried me. My head hanging backwards, I had no strength myself.
It was a strange man in a white mask, he just seemed so awefully familiar, it wasn't bothering me that I couldn't remember. I took my pointer fingure and slowly traced the features of the mask.
"Hey?? Are.. aren't you my best friend Jack?" I burst out in laughter as I looked at the masked man and he stared down at me.
"No, not today darling."
I was confused,"Are you taking me home?"
I scrunched up my face and became furious. How could this stranger just come and take me home? I didn't want to go home. I struggled but I was too drunk and could barely keep my head up.
"Why are you taking me home?" I started to black out," I dont- I don't want to go...."