Chapter 2
Gotham Amusement Park
"Ah, there you are! Have you found the property to your liking?" The owner of the amusement park asked.
"Well, the rides are noisy and ugly. The games are dangerous, enough to kill someone. And to top it all off, it smells like a dead skunk died in a shit stained porta potty." A man, his face concealed by a large brimmed hat, said with a sneer.
"Oh, you don't like it?" The owner asked, disappointed.
"God, no, sir. I love it!" The man said with a joyous voice.
"You want to buy it? And the price I asked isn't too much?" The owner asked.
"Oh no. Money isn't a problem." The man said, pulling out a knife and slitting the owner's throat. As the owner fell to the ground, the man smeared blood on his lips in a grotesque smile, and lifted his head, revealing himself to be Jerome Valeska.
"Not anymore."
Flashback
Haley's Circus
Kansas City
"C'mon mom, I want to see everyone else in the circus!" Jerome said to his mother. It was Jerome's ninth birthday, and instead of staying in his trailer, he had wanted to see all the other circus performers.
"No Jerome." Lila Valeska, a snake dancer, said.
"But mom!" Jerome pleaded, but was met with a punch to the jaw. Jerome screamed in pain and fell to the floor, while Lila just drank liquor from a bottle.
"Shut that fuckin' kid up!" A man said, entering the small trailer.
"Sorry honey, he's bitchin' again." Lila said, drinking again.
"Fine, I'll do it myself." The man, who was the snake charmer of the circus, began to beat Jerome mercilessly with a belt, then his fists. Eventually, he let up, but only to let Lila start beating the kid. After what seemed like forever, Lila and the snake charmer took a break from beating Jerome, and went to the back of the trailer to begin intercourse. Not wanting to take it anymore, Jerome ran outside, crying. He sat down next to the trailer, and was approached by the fortune teller, named Paul Cicero.
"Why are you crying, Jerome?" Paul said, unable to look at Jerome due to him being blind.
"It's my birthday." Jerome said while still crying. "And my mom and the snake guy are beating me!"
"Well, this world doesn't care about you or anyone else, Jerome." Paul said coldly. "Better to realize that now." Cicero then left, as Jerome continued to cry. From that day on, Jerome Valeska's hatred of his mother, the blind fortune teller, and the entire circus grew, until one day, he would finally snap.