Chapter 3 : This Rotten City

I silently stood in front of the mirror, simply looking at my neck for what seemed like hours. When something so blood rushing happens to you and you live to tell the tale, all you can think about is that moment and how it made you want it more and more.

I realised I just couldn't stand there. I had to go to the bathroom and wash myself. I couldn't even imagine my mother's reaction if she saw me like this. I silently listened once she was out of the shower and went into her room. Without waiting I rushed out of my room and into the bathroom.

"Luna? Is that you?" I heard my mother calling me from the other side of the door. Her bedroom was just across the bathroom.

"Erm...yh, I just got back, really needed to go toilet."

"Oh, alright dear. There's hot soup ready if you're hungry." She said and I heard her closing her bedroom door.

"Yh, thanks…" I said under my breath.

I opened the tap of the sink and washed my face. Just splashing freezing cold water over it. I took some in my hand and wiped my neck. I could feel the cold water on my skin, running drops on my neck and hand and on the cut. It wasn't very deep so it didn't hurt, just felt a slight sting. After washing my neck a couple of times I saw that there was no way I could hide that cut. I had to somehow do it thought. I always knew my mother kept some powder foundation in the mirror cupboard above the sink. It was always there in case she needed a quick finish or if she ran out of her other ones. Although she had a lot of them. A lot.

I applied as much of it as I could without it seeming like my skin suddenly got tanned on my neck. I spread it across my whole neck and a bit on my chest to blend it. I guessed I would just have to keep my hair down and falling on the front at all times until this heals. It was way too hot in this time of year to wear turtle necks so that's out of the question.

I looked at it for a while to make sure it was concealed as much as possible. After that I walked out of the bathroom, hearing the TV on in my mother's bedroom I assumed she will be in there, so I won't have to worry about her just yet. I walked into my room and closed the door, feeling extremely not hungry at all.

I looked at the time. It was just about past seven o'clock. Still too early to sleep, yet I didn't want to really leave my room. I laid down on my bed and just kept thinking about the events earlier in the day over and over again. I kept thinking how much I felt during it all. Alive. It felt so amazing. Such a strange feeling to get when you think you are about to die. It felt like some kind of rush. Excitement. I now understand just how amazing the feeling of adrenalin is. Blood boiling inside you, can't keep still. Somehow, just laying there, thinking must have made me tired as I slowly fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up to the sound of cars and traffic outside my window. Only then I realised that I fell asleep so easily for the first time ever. I slept like a baby. It seems like in forever I managed to wake up at around just eight in the morning. I quickly sat up and got out of bed. Opened the blinds to the window and looked out to see the light blue sky which I haven't seen in a long time. It looked quite refreshing. Something I needed I guess. Something new and refreshing.

I looked at the mirror to see how the cut looked. The foundation had smudged a little bit, but still seemed fine. I fixed it with my powder brush. I decided to change into a more closed at the neck top as I was still wearing the same clothes from the day before.

I walked downstairs to find my mother getting ready for work.

"Well…look who is up so early. I guess miracles do happen." My mother said, with a bit of sarcasm in her voice.

"Your sense of humour is as terrible as dad's." I said, with a slight smile on my face. Even thought they were bad, I always found those cliché jokes funny.

"Well they still always made you laugh so I don't know why you're complaining." She said, smiling.

I looked at her more. She seemed in a rush. I wasn't even too sure what time she usually leaves for work but she seemed like she was late. I guess this was even better for me. She was so busy being fidgety, looking for her car keys that she wouldn't find the time to look at my neck.

"Alright, I'm off then. Sorry there's no breakfast…you're usually not up so I didn't make any…"

"It's alright. I'll find something."

She smiled at me. It felt like a faked smile. I know how much she hates the fact that at the age of 27, her daughter still lives with her and has no job. I occasionally do some random jobs as a graphics designer online, but I never really managed to find a stable job.

This is why I don't like thinking. It makes me remember how I am. Who I am and how I could never be what she wanted me to. I hated thinking. I hated my ability to always think and then overthink and then make myself depressed even more. I clenched my hand into a fist to calm down. I had a fair temper. I could handle most things, but when I snap, I can go out of control.

I decided that being here any longer would just make me even angrier. I walked out of the living room and into the hallway. I put my black trainers on and left the house. I just walked. Walking calms me down. Mostly just looking around and analysing the environment, people and so on. It takes my mind into a state which I could think in clearly.

I went into the small park around my area. It was mainly built for kids, but not many of them come here as it was not that safe. I saw down on the only bench there. With my hands in my pockets I was silently sitting there, listening to the sounds around me. Police sirens, traffic, tram. All these noises were constantly playing and closing my eyes I would listen to them.

I suddenly opened my eyes when a couple of teenage looking guys came into the park. They seemed like nothing special or dangerous. I decided to ignore their existence, yet somehow still feel conscious of them.

I had my face down now. I wouldn't close my eyes when there's people around. Too risky. I was still interested in what they were doing. Being my nosey self as usual, I lifted my head upwards. I tried not to look too much in their direction but it wasn't really a way to hide it that I was looking there. They were facing their backs to me so I couldn't see much and they couldn't see me.

As I was looking in their direction, another man approached them from the distance. He was facing me. I decided to turn my head. Yet I was still so nosey. I turned my head back. I saw those two teenagers holding something in their hands. When I tried to look closer it seemed like plastic bags with needles in them. I suddenly turned away. I immediately knew what it was. I heard some rumours around from my neighbours that some kind of drug has been going around the area. It seems like it didn't leave people in a very good state at the end thought. Was it Venom? Yh…something like that. Could they be buying it?

I decided that maybe it was a good time to leave as all this time I felt as if I was being watched. Ironic how I was the one doing that just a second ago. I stood up and started walking in the opposite direction from the two boys and that man. I didn't even turn around to look back. My mistake. Suddenly I felt a hand grab me by my right arm elbow.

"Hello there."

It was that man. He looked as if he was in his mid-forties. He was wearing a long grey coat which seemed dirty and ripped at some places with black trousers and black casual shoes which also looked like they were about to rip apart. About half an inch taller than me with dark brown short hair, green eyes and quite bearded face. He looked like a real old man.

I was a little stiff. I didn't know what to say.

"What is it?" I said in a serious tone.

"I saw you sitting there before on the bench. Were you interested?"

"N…no. No thank you. I don't want any."

"Come on girl," he grabbed my arm even harder now, I could feel immense strength in his grip. "You won't regret it."

"I said no!" I ripped my arm out of his grip. It wasn't easy, but he seemed startled when I shouted and loosened his grip. I was getting nervous and angry. Two emotions which can make you unpredictable to make stupid and dangerous actions.

"Urgh…" he growled. His expression became more irritated. I wasn't exactly in the mood myself and this was putting me on edge. I was starting to get really uncomfortable and wanted to run. He didn't seem like he was going to do anything so I simply turned around and started walking away, hoping he would leave me be.

After walking a bit, I turned around to see he was gone. A bit feeling of relief went through me as I sighed. Really, what were those kids thinking getting involved with a man like that? This city is really rotten to the core.

I decided to find a more private place to relax. I immediately thought of the old bar. That was my only place I could be left alone. Was it empty now thought? Was he still there? I highly doubt it. As far as I figured, I didn't think he would stay in one place for a while, especially with the commotion that happened the place would draw too much attention. I decided to go with my gut and see what was happening at the bar.

To my somehow disappointed feeling, it was completely empty. Like nothing had ever happened. Was I hoping he would still be here? I had this immense itch inside of me that just wanted to see him. He was just so…enticing. You couldn't just walk past a person like that and never want to see them again. He had this aura, sinister yet so alluring. I walked and sat down at my 'usual' VIP table.

I started to remember him more. More of his complexion, his clothing, his image. I remembered his long purple coat, which seemed perfectly tailored to his body build. The purple dyed leather gloves which had held my hair and the knife. His green hair, messy yet styled in a perfect way with a couple of strands falling over his face and the rest pushed back. His white pale face and the black dark makeup smudged around his eyes. His large red smile which stretched almost all the way to his ears. Every wrinkle and line on his face from the permanent smile to his furrowed eyebrows. His slender face shape. All of these details seemed to be imprinted into my memory. I could never get them out of my head. All I could think about was him. It was as if I was a young girl in love. This feeling however, was something much more intense than love. It was like I was being trapped by him, even when he's not here.

I started wondering of ways I could see him. I also thought of the fact that the moment I try to talk to him he will finish what he had started with me. Even so I still wanted to meet him. I guess if I had to explain as to why it would probably be because he made me feel alive. He literally wanted to kill me just as a bit of fun but the way he executed every move, every emotion, it seemed like he was having so much fun that I wanted to be a part of it.

Now was not the time to think rationally. I was getting bored with my life. I wanted some excitement in it. Maybe the Joker wasn't the right choice for that, but I wasn't really going to let something like this pass. I realised from the start that he was a murderer. He killed many people, tortured some even. To him life was a game and if you were weak, you would lose. He didn't believe in 'society'. Frankly, I agree. It's such a load of bullshit. Democracy my ass. All the rich live and the poor suffer. If it was ever about equality then they failed to establish a fair society.

I saw that what he tried to show was that no matter how 'sophisticated' people act, they will never actually be like that. It is all just an act to keep their sorry asses safe. Maybe that's why I never managed to climb the ladder in society. It was never something I wanted. I wanted to be free of society.

The Joker was a man free of society. He didn't have rules. That is what I wanted. A life with no rules. No holding back. Doing what you want without being tied down and dependant on money and power.

I realised it was quite late now. I guess I was out for a while. It seemed like early evening. I had walked out the bar just a couple of minutes earlier. I didn't want to go home. I strolled around on the streets of Arkham City. Dirty, rotten streets. Despair, abandonment, anguish. This is all you would find in this god damn city. Nothing worth seeing, or remembering.

I walked around for hours, hoping that somehow I would be able to see him. Realising that I won't be able to, as my luck can't be infinite I decided to go home and put the whole thing behind me.

Thanks for reading this chapter. Just needed to write this to get some stuff on Luna's mind out of the way and start the real action in the next chapter. :) Hope you stick by and read on.