10. The Only One Laughing
Joker jumped up and ran back to his room. Throwing open the door, he saw Holly clutching to the bed post. Dae sha vou. "That's a no no baby face!" He sung happily. Running over to her, he pulled Holly into a bone breaking hug. "Arg! Let go!" Holly screamed; her body felt ready to break in half. "As you wish." Joker let go and Holly, now having nothing to support her, fell and grazed her knee on the floor. Just what I need. More bruises. Joker hoisted her up by her armpits, and grinned at her. "I have a little plan for you dolly." He nudged her nose with his, and Holly scrunched hers up. "Oh, play nicely for daddy, or else he will have to punish you." Joker cooed. Holly grimaced. "I don't doubt it." Joker giggled. "I want you to stay in bed all night and heal up nice and well for tomorrow night." Holly frowned. "What's happening tomorrow?" She asked. "You're going to a party." Joker dropped Holly onto his bed. "Now I mean it, baby face. If you can't walk, stand, or run for the whole night tomorrow, I will be VERY unhappy." He walked across the room. "What's up with my nick name?" Holly asked. She was board out of her mind, and any excuse not to go back staring at the ceiling was welcome. Joker paused. "Don't start to feel special dolly, I use them for everyone." Holly laughed. "So is Batman batsy boo?" She ducked as Joker whirled a green porcelain lamp at her head. It smashed against the head post of the bed. "Rule number three." He said jerkily. "Never NEVER try to make fun of the Joker." Holly picked porcelain chunks out of the folds in her bed and threw them on the floor. With a SLAM, Joker closed the door behind him. After Holly got all of the broken pieces off of the bed, she tried to lie down. As soon as the back of her head touched the pillow, a needle sharp pain shot through her scalp. Holly gingerly felt the back of her head, only to feel a rough patch on her scalp. A piece of the lamp was embedded into her skin. Holly took a deep breath and clawed at the piece with her nails. She had to get it out. She would not die at age forty three just because some porcelain lamp burrowed farther into her brain. Blood poured down Holly's head as she picked and scratched at the china in her head. The pain was horrible, and Holly could not stop herself from crying out. "OWWWW. OK, ok. You're doing fine. It's fine. It's- OWWWWWWW!" A man in a blue clown mask ran into the room, his gun pointing at Holly. "Joker told me to check on you, what's wrong?" With a hard yank, Holly held up a sharp red object. "Oh, don't worry about me." She said sarcastically. "I just had this stuck in my head." The clown man shuttered. "That's disgusting." "So are you." Holly replied coolly. The clown man smiled at Holly, who had tensed up right after she insulted him. "Don't worry red head. I'm not gonna blow your brains out just because you're having a bad day." Holly relaxed, but only slightly. "I'm to make sure you don't try to walk around again." The man said, sitting on a velvet purple chair. He leaned his machine gun against the wall, and pulled off his mask. The man was actually a boy. He looked no older than twenty. His round boyish face was sprinkled with stubble, and he had soft brown hair and blue eyes. "God those things get so hot." He whipped his sweaty forehead, and looked at Holly. "So what's your story? You the Joker's new squeeze?" Holly shrugged. "He was my professor, and I got into some trouble, so he's just letting me crash here I guess." The clown shook his head, chuckling. "What?" Holly demanded. "It's just that, The Joker doesn't just 'let people crash' here. You're either working for him, or sleeping with him. So which is it?" Holly weighed his words. When the boy put it like that, she wasn't sure what she was to the Joker. "Well, I'm definitely not sleeping with him, so I suppose I'm working." She said slowly. "Hmm…are you sure about that?" He teased. "A hot innocent thing like you doesn't seem capable of working for the Joker." Holly pursed her lips. "Give me a knife and I'll prove you wrong." The clown put his hands up. "Ok, ok, backing off. So what's your name kid?" Holly glared at him; he was annoying her. "Holly." She snapped. The man raised an eye brow. "Well my name is Jonathon. Nice to meet you Holly." Holly sat back in her bed, causing more blood to drip from her head. "Oh god, let me bandage that up for you." Jonathon got up and walked into the bathroom, returning a minute later with gauze and medical tape. "Lean forward." He said. It was more of a suggestion then an order. Holly did as she was told. Jonathon then parted Holly's hair and leaned down next to her ear. "Hold this for me." Holly took the hair and tried not to shiver. About ten minutes later, Holly's wound was cleaned and bandaged. "Thank you." "No probs."
Jonathon resumed his seat. Now it was Holly's turn to break the silence. "So, how old are you?" She asked lamely. "Twenty one." Jon said proudly. "You?" "Tomorrow I turn eighteen." Holly said a little defensively. Jon smiled. "You look like you're about twenty three." He complimented. Pause. Then it turned into an even longer pause. Finally the pause stretched into awkward silence. "Jonathon, can I ask you something?" He smiled. "You just did, but go ahead, ask something else." Holly stared at him. "What happened to you?" He seemed to understand what she meant. Holly was asking what had messed Jon up so badly that he was working for the Joker now. He looked at the floor and began. "Was bout nine and I got kicked outa my house. Had to make it on my own from then on. Well one day I was trying to pickpocket someone, it turned out to be the Joker himself! Nearly shit myself when I found out who it was. Thought for sure I was a goner." He stopped. "So what happened?" Holly urged him. "Joker just laughed and said I could make it up to him by dedicating the rest of my natural born life to his services. Didn't really have a choice, did I?" He shrugged. "You always have a choice." Holly said sternly. "Well what, you telling me you're choosing to be here right now?" Jonathon said angrily. "Yes." Holly said. It was her choice to go to Joker for help, but she admittedly thought that he wouldn't let her leave now if she wanted to. Jon looked unconvinced. "I'd watch myself if I was you, Holly." He warned. "Joker's men aren't as kind as me, and your short remarks could lead to bad consequences." Holly smirked. "Hmmm, I'm pretty sure hurting me would lead to bad consequences for my attacker." Jon rolled his eyes. "I'm just sayn, Joker's had woman over before, and they never last long. If he doesn't get board of you by the end of the week, I'll be VERY surprised." Holly sent daggers in Jon's direction, then rolled over so her back was facing him. "Oh, very mature." He said. Holly ignored him. "Well two can play that game." In the silence, Holly brooded. Quite suddenly, she felt the pit of her stomach burst with sadness. Benji was dead. Benji was gone, forever. And he never got to stand up to those jerks that tormented him. He never got to break away from the life he so hated. He never had sex, never got married, never had a real job. Tears poured down Holly's face, and she sobbed as silently as she could into the pillow. Her whole body was shaking. She would never hear his sarcastic voice again. Never feel his warm body laying next to hers. Holly had never felt so alone. Benji was her best friend. The guy that understood her, and could practically read her mind. The guy that knew exactly how Holly felt, because he was feeling the same. He was her brother, only so much more. And he had been taken away from her. Holly cried and cried, for hours. She thought she heard Jonathon start to say something several times, but he never finished his sentences. Finally, when she was all cried out, Holly fell into a deep and uneasy sleep.
She was in a white room with no windows or doors. There were bubbles surrounding her, no, Holly was in a giant bubble. Someone called her name. Holly turned around to find herself staring into Benji's face. No! She thought. Why do you do this to yourself? Wake up Holly! Benji spoke. "Holls, listen, I only have three minutes, so listen up." Holly's mind raced. Just talk. A voice in her said. "You're dead." She stated. "I don't deny it. Now, I understand you're sad for my loss, but I need you to do something for me." Holly didn't blink, in fear that if she did, Benji would be gone when she opened her eyes. "Control your anger. I thank you for avenging me, but this is enough. I know you want to just go on sprees sometimes to deal with the pain, but killing the innocent will not make things better. You will just be taking away other people's Benjis." He smiled sadly at her. Holly nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I miss you so much." She blurted out. "I miss you too, but there's no need to worry about me. I'm in good hands." He looked towards the ceiling. Holly pressed her hands against the bubble. "Will I ever see you again?" She asked. "In the end, we will all see each other again." Holly's eyes widened. She and Benji had always been unreligious, and didn't believe in heaven or hell. "Really?" She asked. Benji shrugged. "Actually, no idea, it just sounded like the right thing to say." Holly laughed. "Is there really a god or a heaven?" Benji looked at the floor. "Now that I am dead, I want to believe so, but honestly? I don't know." Holly pressed on the bubble, trying to break it. She had to touch Benji's face, had to hold him in her arms. "Then how am I talking to you? This isn't even real, It's a dream." Benji looked hard into her eyes. "That doesn't mean it isn't real. I can't explain death. It's as mysterious to the dead as it is to the living. I have to leave you now, Holly Paine. This is the end for me. Remember what I told you. Stop morning me, ok? I might be gone now, but you still have a life time ahead. I love you." Holly pounded on the bubble, screaming. "Don't leave me again Benji!" With a POP! The bubble containing Holly burst, and she was falling. Farther and farther into black nothingness. When she hit the bed, Holly woke up. She was clammy and cold. Though it had only been a dream, it felt so real. Holly whipped a tear from her eye. With a sinking feeling, Holly knew that that was her closure. It was time to stop dreaming, and time to start living. She rolled over on her side, and found a lump of green curls in her face. Holly smiled. Joker. She stroked his hair softly, humming a little. Holly didn't even know why she was doing this. It just felt like the right thing to do. Now Joker was the only living person who understood Holly. Though he couldn't read her mind like Benji, he could send warm tingling waves down Holly's stomach every time she heard his beautiful voice. Holly wiggled down farther into the covers of the bed. She was feeling much better now. Resting her head on Joker's chest, she fell asleep to his steady heart beat.
Joker pretended to still be asleep when he felt Holly jerk awake. She had been keeping him up for hours, muttering in her sleep. He had considered moving to a different room, but he was too stubborn. No broad would kick Joker out of his own room! Joker was having a difficult time figuring out what Holly would do when she found him next to her. Scream? Fall out of bed? Hit him? But then she did something that truly amazed him. She began to stroke his hair. And hum! No one had done that in…well, ever. The strange girl then rested her head upon his chest, and was actually soothed by his presence; not disgusted. Now Joker lay stiff and confused, with a sleeping Holly on top of him. What in the world? No. This was a distraction. He would have to get Holly to fear him more. But not now. This could wait until morning. Because right now, was the closest Joker had felt to being "human" in years.