Thanks to Harelquin Sequins, Future Trunks lover, michelle1203, TombstoneGirl, and Superdani for the reviews! Just a heads up, I usually update daily but I may not be able to on Tuesday. I'm going to see The Dark Knight again!
Jack came home again just a few days ago. He just left again. The sound of the front door closing behind him resonates in my mind. Again, as usual, I snuck him his meds in his food or drinks when he was here. If he would stay more than a few days, he would straighten out.
He still thinks I'm the only pure person in this world. Truth is, I can be bought. If someone told me that if I did this or that, then my husband would be safe. I would do it in a heartbeat, without a single thought to my safety and well being, or the safety and well being of others.
I can't go more than a few hours without worrying about him when he's not around. He could be killed any moment of any day. I don't want to hear that my husband has died in a hail of police gunfire when I turn on the news by mistake.
My cell phone rings. I know it's Jack because his ringtone is the Imperial March. It only plays when he texts or calls me. I sigh in relief, knowing he's okay. For now. I look at my phone. It was a text message saying, "hey good lookin, be home tonite."
I smile to myself as I continue to write the second chapter of my third book. My mind isn't on my character's plot, it's set on Jack. I still get excited when I see him. Just like I did all those years ago in English class…
Before I know it, I hear Jack at the door. I go to let him in, but just as I get to the door, he opens it, lunging at me and pulling me into an urgent kiss. I hear him kick the front door close.
"Jack-" I start to say, but he cuts me off.
"Let's have a baby!" He says, half leading, half pulling me into the bedroom.
I stopped trying to argue or understand my husband when he first donned the infamous purple suit. What he does and why he does it, only makes sense to him, and him alone.
I awake around four in the morning with a start. Well, more like a scream. I had a terrible dream about Jack. It was vague and murky at best and all I remember is Jack begging, pleading for me to help him. To save him. I hear him scream and then…nothing.
Normally, if I had a nightmare, I'd get on the computer and write it out or search for the symbolism of it. I found solace knowing other nightmares were too absurd, even impossible to happen, but this one, was entirely possible.
I hear Jack yawn and sit up. "You ok?"
"No. No, Jack I'm not!" I say and break down into tears.
He takes me into his arms and I cry into his chest. "Tell me about it." He says.
"It was a nightmare….you were hurt or something."
"Calm down, Gen. It was just a dream."
I pull away and look him in the eyes. "A dream that can happen! Look, Jack. I'm tired of worrying about you! Please, stop all this foolishness!"
Jack's eyes narrow. "Are you in cahoots with the Bat?" He asks.
"No! I'm neutral, Jack and you know it! I'm not on his side and I'm most certainly not on yours!"
"Neutral, eh? Then tell me, why do you scoff whenever you hear somethin' about the Bat? And, and why is your toenails constantly painted that glittery purple? I think, subconsciously, you wanna be like me."
I look at him incredulously. "Oh…Jack you've lost you're mind." I said, laying down and facing away from Jack.
"Ha! Joke's on you Gen! I stopped playing with a full deck a lllloooonnnngggg time ago!" With that, he roughly lays down, faces away from me as well.
In the morning, I awake to an empty bed. On the nightstand is a note from Jack, listing places not to go. I groan and look at the time on my cell phone. I have to go write this anger out. I have my protagonist lash out against a composite of Jack and other guys I know or knew. His character, has the possibility of being the antagonist or the savior of my story. I haven't decided yet.
Afterwards I go and get dressed for a meeting with my literary agent and publisher for an update on my latest manuscript. As I drive deep into Gotham City, I start to see men in plastic clown masks and I don't know whether to laugh or call my husband and yell. I settle for rolling up my windows and turning the volume of the radio up.
"There's the lady that's putting my kids through college!" The publisher of Phantasm Press, Tom Jayseck says, extending his hand to me, as I walk into his building. He was there waiting for me.
"I'm glad that all my sleepless nights and time I could have spent with my husband is being put to good use." I say coolly, shaking his hand.
"Oh that wit! I love it!" Jayseck exclaims as he ushers me into a his office where I see my literary agent Meredith Allred waiting for us.
"Hello, Genesis." Meredith says, with a smile.
"Hello, Meredith, it's good to see you again." I reply. Usually, we only communicate through e-mails or phone calls.
"'Kay, let's get down to business. You're new book…"He paused for unneeded drama effect and I resist the urge to punch him. "is climbing like Indiana Jones! I bet, this time next week…it'll be numero uno."
I roll my eyes. "That's great." I reply, forcing a smile. Seriously, this guy is too annoying for his own good. He thinks he's the funniest person in the world and always tries to make things sound so dramatic. I want to go home and get back to bed.
"How's your newest book, Mind Games comin'?"
"Fine. Just fine."
"Oh, come on, Gen…don't be modest! People are lining up around the blocks at Barnes and Nobles and Borders to get tickets to midnight release parties!" Jayseck says.
Suddenly, I start to get a weird feeling, like something is going on inside of me. I don't feel sick, but I don't feel right. I also get a bad feeling coming from Jack. I look above Jayseck's head and out the window. I have a perfect view of the skyscraper across the street…and my husband on top of it. He looks at me and waves. He may be ok now, but I know he's planning something stupid.
"What's wrong? Do I have something on my face?" Jayseck ask, taking out his yellow handkerchief from his jacket pocket and starts to dab his face.
"No, but The Joker is on the roof across the street." I say flatly.
Jayseck freezes and slowly starts to turn to the window. He screams when he sees Jack. Meredith and Jayseck run out the room as word that The Joker is near spreads like Ebola, causing mass mayhem. I take this as my cue to go home.
As I drive home, I hear a massive explosion. I'm too tired and numb from last night to think about it. Three guesses as to who was behind it….
