Chapter 10: The Trick Is To Keep Breathing
Molly pulled the door to the jokers cell shut, he hadn't said another word but after his answer she wasn't sure she wanted him to. She called Madeline and re-scheduled their catch up. She felt as though everything was crumbling around her slowly to top it all off she was dreading tomorrow, she felt awful for thinking that she knew Iris needed her help and it was her job to help, so why did she have that horrible feeling in her stomach?
She barely slept that night, and in the early hours of the morning after practically no sleep and too many cigarettes she showered, dressed and got in her car to go to work about two hours early. As she pulled up to the gates at Arkham Bob was there he looked more solemn than usual but she expected that everyone in Arkham would be quiet today, she walked to her office listening to every footstep she took as it echoed off the silent walls. She had just got past the door to the jokers cell when she heard him,
'Couldn't sleep doc?'
She paused but continued walking, when she got to her office she ditched her bag and jacket on her chair and walked back to his cell.
She hesitantly swiped her card and punched in the code, walking into the room she saw him sitting on his bunk, restrained to the wall by his straight jacket. She closed the door and sank down against the wall next to the bed, she felt like all the energy had been sucked out of her.
'Bad dreams doc?'
'Didn't get a chance to dream' she said quietly
'Why too excited about today and your new patient?'
That woke her up instantly, her head snapped up to look at him, his lips held a small smile, and he continued to stare at her as he always did.
'How do you know about it?'
'Heard Chilton bragging about it, he's very exciteddd' he said the last word in his slow dragged out way.
'Oh great! It'll be all round Arkham then, and someone will blab to the press and Iris will be in danger again, I can't believe him!'
'Relax doc he only told Pricey about it, because he's the one that's taking Crane off your hands, gets your back up though doesn't it doc? Her being here, relying on you for help once again, depending on you, do you notice doc no one outside of Arkham seems to care that poor nurse was murdered yesterday, and yet if the press were to find out that one little girl was about to set foot in Arkham and they'd all lose their minds!'
She counted the amount of times he licked the corners of his lips reaching for the scars during his speech, and she hated to admit it but he was right there had hardly been anything on the news about sally's murder.
'You see doc they don't care one little nurse means nothing to the people of Gotham, and it's a lack of caring that drives people a little crazy, look at Dent'
Molly looked up at him there was no smile on his face now he was staring at the blank wall ahead of him,
'Tell me about the day you found her doc, down in that basement with a monster, where you scared?'
'Does seeing her mean you have to remember every little, tiny detail about that basement? Does the smell of the place come back to haunt you? Do you remember Grentz creeping around down there?'
Molly went cold the thoughts were already coming back to her and she couldn't stand it,
'You wanna know a trick to get you through it doc?'
She looked up at him and nodded,
'The trick is to keep breathing'
She lowered her head again and smiled,
'Times up for today', she said pulling herself up and leaving his cell she looked back to see him with his trademark grin etched on his face.
Molly sat outside in the cold the joker's words echoing through her mind, she could see how easy it was for him to get to the staff in this place.
She watched Dr Price get out of his car he looked tired and gaunt. He sat down next to Molly and she offered him a cigarette and the extra cup of coffee she'd brought with her, he smiled accepting them gratefully,
' You look like I feel' she said taking a drag on her cigarette
' You have a rough night too?'
' Every nights a rough night, this one just happened to be up there with the worst of them'
' Molly if you ever need to talk, you know you can come to me'
' Don't let Sloane hear you say that' she smiled at him jokingly
' He's quite fond of you isn't he?'
' In a way yes I think he is, he knows a lot about me'
' Yes I heard of your unique tactic to get him talking, how much of your life did you have to divulge to get answers?'
' I just answered his questions, I've got nothing to hide, I'd do it again to stop people like Grentz'
' I think we all would put in your position' he stood up stretching and draining the coffee,
' Well once more into the breach' he smiled and walked inside, Madison realised she was shaking, it wasn't from the cold it was the thought of seeing iris again.