Maxine Gibson, or as she was better known, Max, clutched her best friend's, Terry McGinnis, jacket which he had lent her. I never should've stayed at school and let McGinnis leave, Max thought sourly as the wind picked up. She tried wrapping the 5-sizes-too-big jacket around her body tighter, but the harsh winds were too strong to make any difference.
Her teeth chattered, and Max quickened her pace. She could've sworn she was being followed… Damn McGinnis! Max thought angrily. Thanks to him, she had become completely paranoid when it came to walking down any of Gotham's streets.
A crash brought Max out of her musings. She gasped, spinning around. "It was a cat," she mumbled, her eyes shifting. There was nothing there so there was nothing to worry about, right?
Wrong.
Maniacal laughter. Max's eyes rounded. That was bad- very bad. Max turned, going to run. Just as she did, a large hand wrapped its way around her upper arm. Max pulled and struggled against the man, but it was no use. His grip was way too strong.
Even though Max was no pushover, there was no doubt in her mind she wouldn't be able to take this guy on. As he effortlessly spun her around, Max knew she was in deep shit. The guy had shoulders that were at least as wide as she was tall, and easily could've made two of Terry.
Actually, she was beginning to believe he wasn't human at all.
But she knew he was when other Jokerz (you couldn't miss that face paint)- all male- surrounded her. Max sucked in her breath and tried not cry. "Hello, baby," the shortest one cooed. She bit her lip, and struggled against the hulk's iron grip. "Ain't gonna work, missie," He rumbled, his voice as deep and gravely and Max expected.
"Maybe," she replied, trying to sound confident. "Or maybe not." Using as much strength as she could muster, Max kicked the hulk square in the balls. He let go, clutching his injured part(s), and Max took off.
She only got a few feet before one of the Jokerz tackled her to the ground. Max's head pounded, but she knew better than to give up. She struggled some more as the Joker flipped her onto her back. "Get offa me," Max managed to choke out under his massive girth.
"Don' think so, sweet cheeks," He said, his breath hot and heavy against her cheek. Max was able to slip her hand under his chest and raked was left of her gnawed on nails down. He growled and sucker punched her one in the gut.
He stepped off of Max, but she was too busy clutching her chest, the air having left her. She gasped slightly, only to have what little air leave when another Joker kicked her in the ribs. A third snatched a fistful of hair and slammed his meaty claw into her face. Soon, everyone was taking hits, all laughing their insane laughter.
Finally, the big Joker she had first kicked lifted Max clean off the ground. He smirked, though you could hardly notice it through all the makeup. In one swift motion, he flung Max into a wall. "That'll teach you to mess with me- err, us." He said, laughing a low, scratchy, laugh.
"Enough!" A smooth, feminine voice snapped. "Get lost," she added, still shrouded by the lack of sufficient light coming from the lamppost. "NOW!" The Jokerz scattered, and the woman stepped into the light. She had brilliant red hair that framed her face with matching emerald green eyes.
"Now, how are you, miss?" the redhead asked, crouching down to gently brush a bit of debris from Max's face. "What… Who… Where am I?" the girl mumbled, her eyes flitting back and forth. The redhead sighed. "I can't believe Quinn," she murmured. "Here," She said, "I'll take you to get some help,"
8
Max clutched her head as the world seemed to spin over and over again. She staggered around the barely furnished, darkened room. She moaned, gripping the frame of the doorway. Max just barely made it into the tiny room, only to dig her nails into the counter.
She squinted in the bad lighting, and suddenly realized she was in the bathroom- or a bathroom. Max stared at the blurry outline in the mirror- but that wasn't possible. She didn't look like that- did she?
Timidly, Max fingered one of her carnation pink locks. Why was her hair that color? Suddenly, her mind was taken off her oddly colored hair and on to the dark circles under eyes and a black, almost purple lump surrounding her right eye. Her lip was split also, along with various bruises and scratches. The problem was, Max had absolutely no idea how she… obtained them.
The lights flickered on, causing Max to jump up in a strangled scream. She had to cover her eyes, as the lights blinded her after having adjusted to the darkness. "So, I'll take that as you're still feeling crappy?" A familiar female voice questioned cynically. Max put her hands down and squinted at the woman in front of her. "Wait…" Max mumbled. "I've met you before. Where?"
The woman smirked. "Well, you should remember me. I'm the one who brought you here." Max rubbed her head slightly. "Then… Do you know how I got so damn beat up?" The redhead's eyebrows shot up. "You mean, you don't remember?" Max thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Nope, I have no recollection of last night- or any night, as a matter of fact."
She smiled. "Well, you shouldn't have a recollection of last night; you were, ahem, 'mugged' several days ago." Max's eyebrows rose. "If I was mugged all those days ago, what have I been doing?" She laughed, replying, "You've been asleep, of course," She straightened up a bit. "But back to business. I'm Pamela Isley, but you can just call me 'Ivy' for short." Max smiled for the first time. "I'm…" she stopped short. What was her name?
Holy shit, what was her name?
"Actually, I don't know who I am," Max finally answered, raking a hand through her short pink (she had to change that) hair. Ivy sighed. "I'm not surprised," she replied, "After all, you were beaten pretty badly. You probably have temporary amnesia." Max's face fell. "Oh," Ivy put her hands up. "But you're lucky, 'cuz I found two Hamilton Hill High School bus passes. One says Terrence Warren McGinnis on it, so I'm guessing that's not you- your hair is pink, not black. The other says Maxine Gabrielle Gibson. Here," Ivy handed Max the two passes and smirked. "The guy your boyfriend? He's cute, in a goody-goody way."
Max frowned. "I don't think he was- wait, why do think he would be?" Ivy shrugged. "Not sure, it's just you had his pass, and I found you wearing a jacket twice your size- from what I can tell, I think it's his." Max nodded, but paused to look up. "But is my name really… Maxine?" She shrugged. "I guess for short Max." Max wrinkled her nose. "Nah, not Max… I don't feel like a 'Max'."
"What then?"
Max glanced down at her bus pass. "How about… Gabrielle. It's my middle name, so you can call me Gabby." Ivy smiled. "Gabby it is." She agreed.
And that was the start of a beautiful friendship.
8
I'm cutting it off here 'cuz I know I'll never end this chapter if I don't.