Chapter 3

It took her about five minutes to realize she was laying down and not in a chair. Highs hopes entered her brain and for a brief second she thought maybe all yesterday was a dream.

Maybe i got drunk and passed out! She thought, remembering Tom saying she had been eyeing the wine at the party. Maybe I started to drink without even knowing!

She began to shiver as a breeze and sat up opening her eyes.

She was outside.

She turned to the left to see the old beat up building of the Joker's and her heart fell. It had not been a dream at all. She was on the ground in the dirt, a cool breeze blowing and it was still dark out. Someone had carried her outside and just flat out left her there. She felt a new scrap on her leg and side and she realized whoever dumpped her outside, most likely the Joker, honesty did just that. They dropped her onto the dirt and caused cuts to form on her sides. They stung, feeling dirt and grim in them and the added pressure of her body weight being on them while she was knocked out added to this discomfort.

"No...." She said under her breath. "Oh god no....."

When she stood up all the pain came to her. The back of her neck felt numb, so she felt where she was cut, gasping to feel someone had sewn it up.

"What the hell...." She felt the sewing job, and the lump on the back of her neck. It felt very odd. Something wasn't right. Before she could question that more her common sense hit and she started to quickly run down the street in a random direction. She had no clue where she was, but as long as she was away from the Joker, it was fine by her.

She then remembered what he said. "I'll be watching."

Her legs felt like sponges as she raced further down the roads she encountered. She felt tired and had the urge to stop and sit on the curb, but she did not. Her hands ran through her hair as it fell and flopped about in her face, preventing her from seeing clearly. The cuts on her legs started to bleed as she ran and it felt as if the ground was pulling her down towards it in an iron invisible grip of death. She had to fight the grip and keep running.

She tripped on a loose piece of sidewalk, and reopened the cuts on her knees now. She yelped in pain, as she bit down on her cheeks to prevent a large scream escaping her mouth. Glancing at her bloody knee, Nichole felt the urge to scream out for help or run to the police.

I can't....He will know. Nichole thought, as she frowned.

She decided to remove her shoes and carry them, instead of running in them. Though they were flats, they were causing her blisters as she ran. With them in her hand she raced down another street. The darkness surrounding her and bits of gravel sticking to the bottom of her feet. Nichole glanced behind her shoulder every few seconds as she ran a couple of blocks, fearing he would be behind her in a van watching her like a hawk. Nichole could not stop the tears that flowed down her face. The rope burn on both her arms stung as she itched at them.

There was a point where she could not go on. Her nerves forced her to sit on the side of the road and rest. Which at that point she threw up on the sidewalk. If anyone were to walk by her they would assume she was a drunk as she did look like one at the moment. She was sweating enormously and the smell hit her as she stood back up, along with the bits of her stomach contents that landed on her.

She felt disgusting, but right now didn't care.

After a half hour of walking she reached her house. It was a small little thing, but it was better than an apartment. She didn't want to share a bathroom with other people in a household, so she bought a cheap house (with Tom's help) and did what she could with it. She rushed through her front door, quickly shutting it behind her and locking it.

Being in her home, she felt strangly a bit safer...but still the nerves did not cease.

Her Germen Shepard Atticus started barking immediately; happy to see his master return home. He wasn't used to her being away for such a long time. She didn't stop to pet him though to his anger. She started dashing around her house locking every window and pulling down every shade. She went into her kitchen and grabbed a steak knife placing it on the counter. She stared at it; with the knife in her reach she felt much calmer.

Her dog started to bite at her ankles wanting attention. She reached down and hugged her dog, and began crying. "Atticus...what am I going to do?" She cried. Atticus licked her face, sensing she was upset.

She tightened her hug with him yelling into his fur, as if this embrace would drain her fears and take the problem away.

"H-h-how did I end up like this? HOW!?" She sniffled. "Its all because I was so stupid...so stupid and I just H-HAD to leave the fucking bathroom at that moment. W-W-Why couldn't I just have stuck around a little bit longer?! Oh my god!" She pounded the floor with her foot. "He's going to kill me Atticus! He's going to k-kill me!"

Her dog whimpered at her sudden shouting.

"Why me...Why me..." She rocked back and forth, stroking her dog's fur.

The Joker giggled. He had a little ear piece in one of his ears, listening to every word Nichole screamed. He adjusted its volume down a bit as her screaming was starting to irritate his ear drums.

He turned to one of his men in a clown mask. "I have a job for you..." The Joker threw the man a small remote device with a tiny television type screen on it. "I want..you..." He pointed at the man. "You...to watch that screen. There is a little blinking red dot on it. That represents our little screamer. Make sure that little dot, never enters a police station, or leaves Gotham City...are we clear?"

"Yeah yeah sure boss whatever." The man said, clearly not listening. He was reading the newspaper and whatever the Joker was saying to him wasn't really important to him at the moment.

The Joker glared very irritated. "I don't think you heard me right."

He grabbed his knife diving it into the man's hand, but not enough to empale it completely. "ARE WE CLEAR?"

The man screamed in pain, the bones in his hands being crushed and scattering into the rest of his skin. "AHHH! YEESSSSS BOSSSSS. OWWW!"

The Joker smiled removing his knife. "Oh and one more thing...I may call you and ask where the dot is located at any given time...so uh...leave your phone on." The Joker laughed hysterically as he watched the man hold his hand to stop the blood from flowing out.

He licked his lips. "Now time to go shopping!"

Another man in the room watching television tilted his head. "Yo boss what you buying?"

The Joker grinned. "I need some toys for tonight..." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down.

"Oh yeah mean fer tha' girl?" The man laughed cruelly.

The Joker sighed. "No, no....I mean for tonight. The night we have planned for a while back. The night we have talked about over and over and over again." The Joker made hand gestures as he spoke. The man still remained confused.

The Joker explained. "You see...this morning...i heard from a source the Batman has decided to turn himself in. But... I think someone will take the fall for him. And my little noggin-" He taps his head. "Tells me...that uh Harvey Dent...will be that man, as he does strike me for the type that would take the fall for someone. Sooo we try and attack the cars transporting.....our little "bat" and the REAL Batman is bound to show up... Now do you mind? I have to go buy my little toys now."

He was very mad at his henchmen. Not just the two who needed everything explained to them, but all of them and all of his men that have yet to be under his control. They didn't possess a creative and thoughtful mind. They were all druggies, looking for money, or people who were bums just joining him because they wanted immunity from his attacks, but they were not immune for sooner or later he would kill them. They were nothing to him but mere guns. Once he got bored with them, he would throw them away.

But knifes...knifes. Oh knifes he would never throw away. But none of his henchmen were even close to the status of his knifes. He trusted his knifes more then his men. They were just so beautiful and never changed or had attitude, or asked for a raise. He has never met anyone who was above his knifes...ever. Everyone was so predictable in life, but knifes, you never know what the cut they give will look like or how deep it will go.

He smiled walking out of his house, continuing to listen to Nichole sob in his ear piece. At least he was able to listen to her losing her mind. That was cheering him up.

Nichole could not cry anymore, for it was hurting to much and getting nothing accomplished. Her throat was dry and her eyes red and puffy. She glanced at the time on her stove. It was 4:07 am. She needed to be at work by 7:00. First she needed to call Tom to tell him she was "alright". She picked up the phone and dialed his number. She bet he was asleep and crossed her fingers that he wouldn't pick up. She didn't want to lie to him as he talked to her. Leaving a message would be easier.

Unfortunately he picked up, causing her to tense where she sat.

"Hello?" Said a tired voice

"Tom." Was all Nichole could say.

"Yeah?" He was too sleepy to figure out it was Nichole. It took him a second before-

"NICHOLE! OH MY GOSH! ARE YOU OK!? WHERE ARE YOU!"

"Tom tom tom. Please calm down. I-I'm fine."

"Nichole...what happened?" He sounded alert and almost hysterical.

She had to think of a story to use and quick. She hoped the practice she got from lying to the Joker would work yet again with Tom.

"N-Nothing...he just brought me into his van and dumped me off somewhere. I hit my head in the process and...I...got knocked out. And then I woke up and walked home. That's it. And my head is fine before you say anything. Just a cut on my neck, but I...went to the hospital and they stitched it up. Seriously, I am fine."

"Nichole...do you want me to come over. Talk to you? Help you? I'm coming over!" He spoke in a rushed manner. She heard sounds of him getting up and about in the backround.

"NO!" She said quickly without thinking. "I mean...Tom.. I really just want to forget about all this and pretend it never happened. Please."

"OK Nichole. I was so worried about you though. I was scared something happened to you. Nichole...i-"

"Its OK Tom you don't need to-" But he cut her off, with something that made her mouth hang open.

"Nichole I love you."

"What?..." Her breath caught. This was not expected at all from him.

"Nichole, I love you. So much."

"No you don't Tom..." She began to blush, spitting out whatever nonsense words could reach her mouth.

Oh god why now of all times? Nichole groaned in her head. Why couldn't you say this another day! Another day where I can tell you how I feel in return!

"Nichole...I really love you. Nichole when you were taken, it crushed me so much. I am truly sorry i didn't come to help you, but the Joker....just his appearance made me freeze in my spot. Once you were gone, i couldn't take it. It was one of those "You don't know what you got till it's gone" moments. I just...I don't wanna loose you again."

"I- um..." Was all Nichole could say. She licked her lips to relieve the dryness of them.

"Its OK ...you don't need to say anything...listen can I meet up with you tomorrow?"

"Sure..." She knew that wasn't going to happen. She didn't even know if she was going to be alive tomorrow.

"Listen I'll call the police for you Nichole. I'll tell them your safe."

"Thanks Tom... I um...Tom whatever happens...Please don't go after the Joker. Don't even be anywhere near him. Ever."

"What...what do you mean?"

"Just promise me...you will NEVER be near him ever. Never."

"I promise...i won't..."

"Thank you...I'm gonna go to bed. I'm actually quite tired." She wanted the phone conversation to just end. Tom poured his heart to her, and she could not tell him how she really felt about him, for it would put his life in danger. She really did like him.

"Ok then...I'm really glad your OK. I was almost crying when he had you in that elevator with him."

"Yes well...no more talking about that. See you tomorrow then?" She lied, silent tears streaming down her face.

"Bye Nichole..."

"Goodbye...Tom" She had her mindset on that might be the last time she ever talked to him.

She put down the phone, letting her last few tears flow down her face.

Her mind was racing by what he said.

He loves me?..... She thought. All her life she wanted to know if he loved her. She wanted him to love her and for them to be more than friends. And now he says he loves her.

No...He didn't mean it like that. She told herself. He meant it in a brother to sister way. Don't get your hopes up. He was saying that because he missed you like a friend....

She then did something she had been wanting to do for the past day. She took a nice warm shower, throwing away the dirty and blood soaked clothes she wore. The rope burns stung from the steam and water, but she delt with it, as the water felt amazing on the rest of her body.

She felt disgusting. Not because of the blood and dirt, but because the Joker touched her. Simple touching of his hand to her arm or neck, but still it freaked her out.

The shower rid her of the grim, but not the feeling of the knife against her throat.

The feeling of fear caked in her stomach.

The shower took her mind off of the fear a little, but her stomach felt so empty and as if a hole had pierced through her heart. She did not know how to rid the fear away, or even at that if the fear would ever go away. Her life did not flash before her eyes as she stared death in the face. All she saw in death's face was white, red, and black makeup smeared on it and two scars menacing and terrifying.

His image remained in her head. His laughter echoed in her mind. She knew it would never leave, even if she were to never see the Joker again.

It may just be a bluff Nichole. She told herself. He may be lying to you. He might not even have any more interest in you.

When she got out, she realized she had been in there for an hour and half. It had been just so relaxing, but it was a very bad thing on her mind since it allowed her to think of the monsterous Joker.

She went to her room, grabbing a pair of jeans and throwing them on. She took a white tank top and put it on as well, then grabbed a green sweater, to place over it. It had darker green strips on it that complemented it. It was unique and only went down to right above her belly button. She would have picked something a bit more formal, but it was Friday and teachers were allowed to dress down.

I have to look and act normal...No odd behavor. She told herself in the mirror, in her head.

She headed out the door and walked to the school. It wasn't a far walk, just a few blocks, but her clothes were rubbing against the rope burn causing a lot of irritation. She still glanced over her shoulder often, and her breath stayed at a higher than average rate. The world around her seemed to move in slow motion and it was almost as if she was not really there. Her head felt as high and light as air, and her eyes seemed to not focus on a single thing.

He...HE HAD to be bluffing. She thought. How on earth could he know where I am? I don't see anyone following me...but-....

As she reached the school, she went to the main office and signed in. Nichole tried her best to keep a straight face and look as if nothing was wrong with her. The other teachers were too wrapped up in their own silly lives to notice. She then headed to her classroom and sunk into her desk's chair. She folded her head in her hands resting her head on her desk. She laid like that deep in thought until she felt someone poke her shoulder. She sprung up almost screaming, until she saw it was one of her students, giving her a funny look.

"Um miss? Are you gonna take attendance or just lay there all morning?" asked her student, eyeing Nichole's face.

Nichole gulped realizing she had not put make up on. This of course would never normally bother her, but the fact she had a small bruise on the side of her face from when the Joker slapped her would raise quite a few questions. Questions she would have to lie about.

Her face flushed red, seeing her homeroom class were all in their seats staring at her with perplexed looks. At Gotham City High School, a teacher is given a homeroom to look over all four years. The homeroom meets at the beginning of the day for ten minutes, and then again at the end of the day for fifteen. Normally it is used so the teacher gives them lectures on not to do drugs or other illegal things, but Nichole let her homeroom use it as a study hall.

"Nichole are you ok?" One of her students asked.

Nichole let her students call her by her first name. Truth be told Nichole and her homeroom class were very close. The first year she taught them at first everyone hated each other, but Nichole was so nice to them, they all fell in love with her. This year everyone came to Nichole with their problems. If they wanted to skip a class, they came into Nichole's room and hang out, if someone forgot breakfast, it was Nichole that gave them food. Hell even Nichole had come to her class with her problems. They told each other everything, but the events that were happening to her right now, was something she wanted to keep to herself.

"Oh right sorry Kerri." She took attendance quickly, just marking everyone "In School" even though she knew a few were not there. Her mind was not functioning correctly enough to write what she needed to on the slip of paper. The rest of homeroom, her class told her about their weekends, from one of the girl's boyfriends cheating on her, to one person who went on a surfing trip. Nichole faked happiness, but they seemed to notice it was a mask.

"Nichole how did you get that bruise?" One student dared to ask.

"Oh...I." Nichole was dreading this question, but thought of a lie quickly. "I ran into a door at a party i went to last night. Let that be a lesson to you all not to drink." She smiled, getting a laugh from everyone.

The rest of the day was Nichole giving all her classes a free class and let them do whatever they wanted during the 45 minutes of class they had with her. She spent all the time on her school computer looking up self defense attacks.

Yeah right! She thought Like I could overpower The Joker....This is useless. She sighed.

The end of the day grew near and her homeroom class came filing back into her room. Nichole had been growing tenser and tenser as the day went on knowing she had the very good chance of being face to face with the Joker yet again. The growing fear gnawing at her insides, caused her to throw up half way through the day, but she made it to the bathroom in time. She was thankful it was located near her room. She ended up throwing up a few other times after that, even though there was nothing in her stomach to vomit.

She could not eat lunch due to her fear.

Her fear was what fueled her.

Instead of her students going to sit in their seats, they all crowded around Nichole's desk.

She tilted her head at them. "What...is everything alright guys?" She asked them.

One girl, stepped up to talking. "Nichole...all of us talked and...we know somethings wrong. Your not your cheery self today...what happened? You know, you can trust us not to tell anyone. We care about you and we wanna help. We hate seeing you like this! Its something we never see!"

A mumble of "Yeah!" and "We just wanna help!" was followed by that statement, by her class.

Nichole bite her lip.

I know I can trust them, but what if the Joker finds out in some way that I told them? What if he does? Those thoughts raced through her mind. He had told her to keep her mouth shut, but how could he even be listening to what she was saying. Surely if The Joker was within a mile of the school an announcement would have been said over the intercom saying "Code White"which meant an intruder was in the school attacking.

She got up and shut her door (throwing the little patch over the small window to the door so no one could see in) and then sat back down at her desk.

"OK...you can't tell a soul got it? This is a life or death situation and...very serious. I should not even being telling you this, but......"

All her students nodded, and widened their eyes at the word "death"

She took a deep breath in, before spilling her guts. "Last night at the party for Bruce Wayne...You all must have heard what happened right?"

"The Joker crashed it...didn't he? I heard about it on the news!" One boy said.

"Yes...That is correct. And I was at that party. I ended up walking out of the bathroom at the wrong time and the Joker suddenly grabbed me and used me as his hostage to escape. I thought he was going to k-k-kill me when h-he r-reached the van." Her voice shook as the same feeling she felt when she was staring at the barrel of the gun in her face reappeared. "He brought me back to his place, because he formed some sicko plan that since I was already his hostage, he could use me for something else. He kept saying he wanted to strap me to a bomb! He told me....last night while he tied me to a chair that I was to do my day as normal and then quit my job and wait for him at my house so he could use me."

The children's expression ranged from blank to pure horror.

"And now I don't know what to do...he's after me, he told me to make it look like im leaving Gotham forever. He's going to kill me! I know he is. I just don't know what to do. Go to the police? But knowing him he probably has people in their working for him. I could be thinking someone is escorting me to a room for food or something, only to be escorted to him. I don't even know why he is keeping me!"

School had been over fifteen minutes ago. All her students stayed with their teacher. Hugging her, crying with her; All of them. They cared about Nichole too much to leave her in her state of panic.

And then the suggestions all came pouring in from them. Some good, the others not so much.

"Nichole...you can stay at my house. I'll protect you!"
"Go with Tom. Tell him everything and stay with him!"
"You really should go to the police. My dad works their ask for him and him only."
"Grab a knife and stab him when he comes to your house."
"Leave Gotham. I know it be hard, but really just go on a trip until the Joke is caught."

Nichole wiped her eyes and hugged them all tightly. "You guys...your so nice to me. I'm sorry I dragged you into this problem. I feel better actually talking about it to someone though...."

Tap tap tap!

Someone was knocking at her door.

"Oh..." Nichole said. "It must be the principle. He must be wondering why all of you are here. And I did request a meeting with him. I think I will do what you said Kerri...i will go on a trip until The Joker is caught....Just do not say a thing to anyone on this. I trust you guys not to. If you did....it would cause you to be involved and....it would not be good. You all are such great people. I know one day in the future Gotham will be prooud of you." She smiled.

Tap tap BANG!

The person knocking on the door was getting angry no one was answering the door.

Yup, definitely Gotham's principle as he was a very impatient man. Nichole thought, slightly muffed by the loud noises.

"Hang on! Hang on!" Nichole yelled opening the door. "Sorry about th-" She wanted to scream, but the gun pointed at her forehead kept it in her throat. Her eyes were not believing what she was seeing. Every thought running through her head fell to the floor, as well as her stomach.

The Joker was standing there with his gun grinning. "Well well well...looks like you can't hold-dah...your tongue." he laughed as Nichole stepped backwards into the room, nearly tripping over her own foot. She tried to speak but her words would not escape her mouth. He shut the door behind Nichole, eyeing everyone in the room with a twisted smile.

All her students backed up into a corner, pure terror expressions on their faces. Some started screaming and others tried to sneak their cell phones out to call for help.

He grinned. "Nikki...Nikki...Nikki. Yanno I t-ol-d you I'd be watching." He shrugged. "Oh well. The problem can be fixed."

Then he raised his gun in the air and started shooting at her students; All of them. The ones in the front of their cluster were hit and fell to the floor groaning in pain. Others started screaming, scampering to the doors to try and escape, but the Joker's gun fire hit them before they even made it within inches of the doors. Blood was every where and growing by the second. The ones who were still alive, awaiting to be shot tried to duck under their desks, but failed.

One by one they all fell to the ground. Two or three were screaming hit in the leg or shoulder. The Joker went over to them faking caring.

"Awh...did someone get hurt? Here let me help-pah...you." He shot them in the head, laughing manically.

Nichole sat against a wall by the door screaming and crying. She was in shock and could not move. Her body started shaking and she choked on her own tears. "Noooo...Noooooo!"

The Joker had just murdered her students, who in her eyes were like her own children. She stopped breathing as his two eyes stared directly into hers and he walked closer to her, placing the gun in his jacket and withdrawing a knife.

He grinned wickedly. "You...are coming with uh me. Right...now."