The Last Smile

'See you tomorrow', they called as we left the hospital, another day finally over.

All I ever wanted to help people and please my father - but this internship was killing me. I had been on my feet all day, had to wash blood off my uniform twice and wanted nothing more than a nice hot bath and a cheese burger. And I still had to get back to my flat, which was on the other side of the city.

I sighed and wrapped my coat tighter, trying to keep the cold out whilst making sure my hat didn't fly away in the wind, waiting on the side of the road as more ambulances came rushing into the hospital.

As the last one pulled up outside accident and emergency, I noticed how a small group of men were waiting next to parked car just across the street. Usually cars didn't park around the streets of the hospital in case ambulances needed to get or out, or to make sure space was left for visitors.

What they were doing - perhaps they were from out of town?

Either way I didn't want to walk past them on my own (this was Gotham City after all), so I began walking in the opposite direction towards the subway station a few blocks away, my mind thinking of the mountain of paper work I'd have to complete in the morning.

I had just began thinking of what I would tell my father the next time he rang to ask how my internship was going, when a particularly strong gust of wind made me lose my balance slightly and the heel of my shoe caught a patch of ice, causing me to slip and fall. But a hand caught my arm before I hit the ground.

I looked up, seeing a man from the group I saw earlier, the car with the rest of the men slowly making it's way down the street towards me. Where they following me?

The man helped me to my feet.

"You alright Miss?" He asked.

"Yes I am", I replied, stuttering slightly. "I am, thank you".

The car stopped next to us and more men climbed out.

"She ok?" One called to us, as they came closer. "She took quite a fall".

"She says she's ok", said the man holding my arm. "But we best make sure".

"I'm fine", I said, trying to wriggle my arm free. "I didn't fall - you caught me".

"Hmmm", another said, putting his hand on his head and pretending to look thoughtful. "Perhaps we should take her to the hospital - you know - so they can make sure she isn't hurt".

"I said I'm ok", my voice a little louder, hoping perhaps a passer by would hear. "I work at the hospital, I know there's nothing wrong with me!"

"Yep", nodded the guy holding arm. "She defiantly needs taking to the hospital. Come on darlin', we'll take you back".

He started pulling me towards the car.

"NO", I shouted. "Let me go. LET ME GO!"

"Shut her up, would ya", hissed the man as he picked me up and staggered to the car, my flailing legs making it as hard for him as possible.

"Ok, Ok", said another just hold her still".

I heard the car door open, when something hit me over the head unexpectedly, causing my vision to blur. I felt them throw into the back of the car and climb in after me.

"Quick let's get back, before anything happens".

Yeh, I'd hate to be in trouble again".

"If we are, I ain't cleaning the blood again - it took me ages to wipe that floor clean".

I saw the lights of the Gotham Freeway and a poster showing something about Arkham City, but I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and passed out into the darkness.


Ice cold water hit my face, shocking my body and forcing me to open eyes. My head hurt - pounded even and my vision was still clouded.

"Get up", called a voice. I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the ache in my head, when hands grabbed me under my arms and forced me to my feet.

Where was I? Had I been abducted? Taken?

"Where am I?" I asked, my vision coming back into focus. "What do you want?"

"Your a doctor right?" Asked the voice.

"I'm an intern".

"But you can fix people?"

The room was so dark I couldn't tell where I was or where the voice was coming from.

"Well, sort of. I depends on what's wrong with them".

"Oh trust me", the voice laughed. "There's plenty wrong with her".

Her? There's a girl here?

A door creaked open and lights flickered on, making my eyes hurt from the brightness, but my arms were in such a vice like grip I couldn't block it.

"What do you want?" I asked again.

"Well that's not very polite is it?" Came another voice. A Voice I knew all too well. A voice all of Gotham knew too well.

"Now really boys, look at her, standing in the dark all by herself - she's all confused! You expect her to fix our...little problem...when she's so baffled."

I heard footsteps tap the floor as they came closer to me and cringed at the sight I was going to see.

A gloved hand grabbed my chin and forced me to look into the face I had seen so many times splashed across newspapers and magazines. The face that haunted all of Gotham.

The face of the Joker.

He was smiling down at me, so much so I could almost look past the psychotic grin and smile back, but all I could do was gulp.

He mentioned for the men holding me to let go and started circling me - like a vulture.

"Now listen up, doc...or nurse...or whatever you are. I have a slight...issue...that I need sorting".

He pulled out a pocket knife and starting waving it through the air, almost as if he was painting a picture.

"And you. Are going to SORT it for me". He put his face close to mine and smiled. "Kay?"

I nodded, too terrified to speak or do anything else.

"Oh GOODY!" He laughed, twirling his arms above his head. "I just knew you would".

But he suddenly stopped his happy dancing and looked at me - his smile vanishing.

"Well what are you waiting for?" He shouted at me. "Straight through the door". He pointed to a door at the back of the room.

I stepped slowly forwards, not believing where I was.

The Joker suddenly capped his hands loudly. "Quick like a bunny". He shouted waving his knife around again. I walked a little quicker, almost running to the door, but paused before I turned the handle. I wanted to hear what he would say to his men (I'd never heard him address his crew before).

"So she gonna be ok Boss", one asked.

"I'm sure she'll be right as reign soon", he replied.

"Yeh", said another. "She'll be ok now there's help".

He wasn't as bad as I thought he was.

But that idea quickly vanished, as I hear the sound of screaming and blood hitting the walls as Joker's knife slice through flesh.

I forced myself to keep focused on the door, not daring to turn around.

But I jumped when I felt him come up behind me and open the door for me.

I glanced at him before walking through, catching sight of the pile of dead bodies littering the room.

"Oh don't worry about them", he smiled, pushing me slightly and forcing me to walk. "They've just crashed".

The sight of their blood covering the floor and dripping down the walls made me gag, driving me to walk into the next room without a backward glance at the men who basically kidnapped me and brought me here. To the Joker.

But nothing could have prepared me for what came next.