I continued to pile up the plates one on top of the other in the café. Trust me to have to work late, not that there's any point, it's purely for the drunk gangs who can't be arsed walking to the kebab shop a few blocks away. I shoved the plates in the sink and glanced around, we were pretty dead for a Saturday night, a man who was failing to hide bottle of whiskey sat in the corner staring at the wall swaying as he muttered to himself and a kid of about 17 sat close to the till reading some sort of comic. He was pretty cute to be honest but I don't like teenage guys, too immature. Even if I was only 2 years older than him, the 'Batman' comic book put me off a bit.

I'd watched the Dark Knight just last week and it was the type of film to stick in your mind. Lots of girls like the Joker for some reason which I never understood, if you met him in real life – a psycho only interested in bloodshed and confusing people – you'd run. Plus if Gotham really was villain/gangster central, surely you'd move? And I thought my home town of London was bad!

"I'm closing up in 5 guys!" I said drying the last of the plates, 3am and I was stuck in a crappy café with crappy wage. Not like my life was going anywhere anyway, I dropped out of college after moving in with a boyfriend and deciding rent was more important than an education, although one day I'd still hope to pursue journalism, I loved reporting stories. I had a whole folder full of murderess and their cases, they fascinated me, what drove someone to do that sort of thing?

I watched the two customers leave, well I watched the drunk walk into the door first but then he left. I cashed up, grabbed my coat, turned the lights off and left, tugging my hood over my head as I locked up since it was pouring down with rain. I didn't live far from my one bedroomed flat, oh the boyfriend also decided our relationship was worth risking on a one night stand so don't expect to meet him throughout this.

Turning the corner I glanced up at a group of lads leaning against the wall, I crossed over the narrow road in order to avoid them, it was honestly the last thing I needed right now. A wolf whistle flew in my direction and I kept on walking, I was only a few blocks from home. I could hear them jeering each other on and noticed them trying to catch me up. "Where you going?" a Gollum look-a-like asked before grabbing my arm, I span around and kneed him in a place I was sure would get him to let go of me and ran. "Bitch!" he spat and their footsteps quickened, I looked back to see him holding a small knife and hastily threw my bag into an alleyway to make me faster, grabbing my keys from my pocket so I could get into my building. Glancing back one more time I stumbled, tripping over my own foot and falling headfirst into the road. Then everything went black.

I woke with the wet road below me, quickly remembering my situation and jumping up ready to put up a fight, the gang would surely catch me now. But they weren't there. I looked around wondering if they were playing some sort of trick but I didn't recognise where I was. I had been running home, the same route I always take, where the hell was i? The street was dark and scarcely lit with a few street lights the buildings towered above me, they looked quite formal, like office blocks. Suddenly the sound of police sirens filled the air and the lights soon followed. Where they after me? What had I done? I quickly tried the office door and to my surprise it was open, I ran over to the elevators and noticed that this building had 20 floors but some sort of card covered the 13th, a joker card? I watched as police ran into the building silently, with only the sound of guns and equipment clattering together, quietly I slipped into the stairway and ran up the stairs, what had I done? Had I committed a crime? I ran into what I think was the fourth floor, a dark office with just the lights from outside for guidance. I heard the police running up the stairs but they ran past my floor. Maybe they're looking for me because of that gang? But surely there wouldn't be that many?

"Didn't you want to go follow my, er, distraction, shall we say?" A voice smiled in the dark.

I nearly jumped out of my skin as I spun around but I couldn't see anything. "Who's there?" I demanded grabbing a chair and shoving it in front of me for defence.

Then I noticed a figure walking towards me, his hair messy and as he came closer a light from outside reflected off something in the office. His hair was green, he wore a purple suit, his face had heavily applied make up or paint and his smile amused.

'This can't be happening' I thought desperately

"Well hello beautiful" Said the joker.