"There has been two killings at the North East bridge. Officials say that the killer is none other than the Joker: Gotham's number one criminal mastermind. He has just killed two men in that owned the truck he jacked. He is now being pursued by police and Batman…" buzzed the T.V. as I was making breakfast in the kitchen.
I put down the pan of hash browns to look at the television. It showed a picture of Joker make his famous smile at the camera. I sighed at how the city of Gotham has let it's self go. It's crime rate's had gone up. A video of the crime popped up on the screen. I leaned against the kitchen chair watching.
Joker came up to the truckers while they were drinking coffee. He put a knife to the first man who was wearing a plaid shirt over his tubby stomach and a cowboy's hat. The Joker put the knife right up to the man's lips. He muttered something but the camera didn't pick it up. The other frightened man was trying to beat up the Joker's back by hammering his fists on his back. But it didn't seem to faze the Joker. The scared man let out a cry, and the Joker slowly cut at the side of his mouth. Pain struck the poor man as the Joker then preceded to cut the other side of his mouth. Blood streamed from the knife and each crack of the man's skin on his permanent smile.
The other man who was still trying his best to beat up the Joker. But the Joker, with out even turning around, slashed his hand and knife at the other man's neck, spurring out blood. Now both men lay on the street floor. Joker wipes the knife and lets out his horrible laugh as he slips in to the stolen truck, and drives away. He then hit the camera with the truck.
And right at that moment the smoke alarm went off. I jumped back from watching the T.V. I sprinted to the stove and poured the open milk on to the burning potatoes.
:
"Hurry up May! Mr. Falt won't wait forever! He needs those papers!" called Max, the second in command at the Gotham Police Station. I'm Mr. Falt's new secretary. He's the chief, and I had promised him the papers to the new Joker's case yesterday.
"I've got them!" I breathed jogging in my high heels, the papers in my hand above my head. I put them on his desk and went to one side of the room, brushing my skirt and blouse to get out the wrinkles.
"Very good." Mr. Falt said.
"Sir we need to find out what Joker's next move is." Max said getting to the point.
"He's been doing regular crimes, but each with a twist. Each with a certain horrible ending instead of just a regular kill." Mr. Falt said lost in thought and putting his hand on his chin to make it look like he was thinking hard.
"His next target is Bill's Barn." Came a voice from the shadows. Batman stepped out of the corner, dressed in his suit and mask. His low voice felt like sand paper against my heart.
"How do you know that?" Max asked.
"And how in the world do you do that? I was watching the door and everything…" Mr. Falt whispered to himself.
"Joker's planning to blow up the city…" Batman said.
It seemed as though they had forgotten I was there, because I let out a gasp and no one did anything. Or maybe they just didn't care…
"But why Bill's Barn?" Max asked.
"Think about it…Bill's Barn is the number one place in the city to buy gasoline and canned carbon dioxide. That store gets thousands of tons of each substance a week. If Joker gets his hands on both of those and a box of matches, he could easily blow Gotham to bits." Batman explained.
"Oh…" Max said a little put off.
"Well we'll get right on it." Mr. Falt said looking at the stack of papers I had set on his desk," Will you be our back-" He looked up and Batman was gone," –up…"
:
"See ya tomorrow Gladice!" I called. I waved to my co-worker and left the giant building. I wrapped my long coat close to me as I shuffled in to the street avoiding traffic.
It was late July, but Gotham's weather is never "beautiful" to say the least. Once on the other sidewalk, I walked the two blocks to my apartment. But before I could reach the door, I turned around and went further down the block realizing I was all out of bread, milk, and cat food. So I walked to the nearest grocery store.
I looked through the isles and got all the things I needed, plus some lemon heads because they are my favorite, and paid. I took the bags and left the store. I waited for the old sliding doors to open and I stepped out. My lungs and heart got a jump-start when I heard all the noise and commotion in the next building: Bill's Barn….
Police cars, swat teams, and police men with mega phones were lined up in front of the store. They aimed their guns at the entrance of Bill's Barn. I moved a little ways forward and realized that I had to go around the group of cops. So I started to walk, fast, and swerved around the police cars.
"Joker we know you're in there now come out with your hands up!" Mr. Falts yelled through the mega phone.
A cackling sound came from one of the windows on the top building. Joker had his knife to the store clerk's cheek. The police aimed their guns higher.
"You're names not Bill?" The Joker taunted the short, tan man. The man's name tag read Kevin," And yet this store is clearly labeled: Bill's Barn. I see no Bill and I see no barn…"
"I-I-I just w-work here…" Kevin said in-between gasps of breaths.
"Awww…You know what I do with liars?" The Joker said in a baby voice.
Kevin shook his head and a tear streamed down his cheek.
"Awwwwww…" The Joker said again, and then broke out laughing.
"GIVE US THE BOY JOKER!" the chief yelled.
"You wanna trade huh?" The Joker yelled from the window. He scanned the 'audience'…and finally his eyes came upon a girl, who was walking fast through the crowd of police.
"How about that girl!"
All the cops turned to face me. Then a few came up to me. Each grabbed an arm.
"What the!?" What are you doing!" I screamed taken by surprised.
"Sorry May, but that boy is the mayor's son. We don't want to do this but we have to." Mr. Falt said sorry faced.
"NO!" I dropped my groceries (but not my lemon heads! I stuck those in my pocket earlier! Cus' I'm smart!) I struggled to get out of the two cops strong grips.
They dragged me up to the building doors, and shoved me in. The store's power was out, making the room dark. I climbed the stares to the second floor. I hugged my arms and looked around, alert.
I came to the room the Joker was at. It was pitch black, except the window's light.
I stepped in and was grabbed by the arm. Joker took the knife to my throat.
"Hello, hello, hello," He whispered in my ear," How are you pretty lady?"
I could feel my heart race and the sweat begin to build up.
He had Kevin in his other hand. He scooted us both to the window, knife still on me.
"THANK YOU!" He yelled.
"WE WANT THE BOY NOW!" Mr. Falt yelled.
"WHAT EVER YOU SAY CAPTAIN!" The Joker yelled back. He then pushed Kevin out the window. I let out a scream, along with all the other spectators below. He landed on the pavement, and made the loudest and most horrible crunching noise as his head smashed. I turned my head in horror.
Blood pooled around the dead body below. The Joker let out another evil laugh that filled the air. And a crowd of people rushed to the body.
"Where's Batman…?" I thought to myself.