Oh, it's the laughter that's the worst.

I hear it all the time now, it echoes in my head until I can barely stand it.

Bruce…he told me. He told me it would be bad, but….

I just don't understand! How can he laugh like that? She was just a little girl.

She was just a little girl.


He's still laughing! Does he ever stop?

The henchmen….well, they were clearly his henchmen, which means they probably weren't good people. They had probably done some pretty terrible things.

But that doesn't mean…how could he? His own henchmen, they worked for him! Why? What did they do? What did they do?

Please, please, somebody make him stop laughing. That isn't just blood, it's too thick, that's not just blood, that's not just blood, that's not just blood, THAT'S NOT JUST BLOOD.


I want him to die. He deserves it.

They were orphans, just like me, but no one came for them. I think I recognize one of them. I think he used to pick on me, call me 'Circus Boy'.

Oh my gosh, why is he still laughing? Why does he think this is funny?


I hear him before I see him. It's going to be a bad night.

He's laughing.

Batman used to send me away when we heard him laughing. I didn't want to go and, lots of times, I didn't.

Batman doesn't send me away anymore, I've already seen.

Why doesn't he send me away? I've seen enough! I don't want to watch again. I don't want to smell it again. I used to like the way copper smelled.

Last time, they'd still been alive. Batman had me do first aid while he fought the lunatic.

But I was too late or not good enough or something. My hands were so sticky, all of me was sticky. I didn't want to get back in the Batmobile or touch anything.

I still feel sticky sometimes. Out of nowhere, I'll feel so sticky all over and no matter how much I wash my hands, I can't get rid of the feeling.


He laughs and then he stops and then he cackles, louder than before.

I had been reaching for my first aid stuff, but there's no point now.

No point now.


He's laughing.

Does he ever stop?


I wake up and my head is swimming. Bruce's face is above me, he looks kind of like a floating head.

"Dick, are you okay?" he asks me.

"What happened?" I ask back. I try to sit up but my body feels to heavy.

"You got hit by Scarecrow's Fear Toxin." Bruce explains before he reaches behind me and helps me upright. I see the empty syringe on the counter and my arm feels a bit sore.

"Yeah, I'm okay." I say and Bruce doesn't believe me, I can tell.

"You were…laughing, Dick. Are you sure you're okay? You didn't see anything strange?" When he's like this, it's kind of hard to tell if he's asking because he's worried or if it's because he needs to know if the toxin had any abnormalities. I think it's because he's worried, but who knows? It's Batman.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It…it wasn't good laughing." I say and I think he understands. He's probably the only one who does.


Next time we hear that laughter, I look for the blood, but it's not there.

I'm so, so relieved.

I laugh.


Damn, I creep myself out. So much for being done with YJ!

Please give me some feedback! I'd like to know if I gave anyone nightmares. I sure gave myself some.