Kait: Well...There is nothing really to be said here...I can't think of anything.
Syd: Same here. This chapter is kind of depressing. (pauses) Okay VERY depressing.
Joker: GREAT! Then it's MY kind of chapter (breaks out the popcorn)
Nichole sat in the interrogation room with her head on the single table and her arms folded around it as she cried her eyes out. Just a few moments ago, she was originally being escorted to an officer's car to be sent to Arkham, when the judge rushed over to her and the officer stating she was wanted back in the interrogation room. It was not questioned as to why when she entered. She went without complaint. The longer she was away from Arkham the better in her opinion. She had heard many horrible rumors of that place; rumors that made her sick to her stomach just thinking about. Experiments put on the patients there, and so much neglect and abuse.
Just...Just remember. Being there will be better than being around the Joker. She kept trying to tell herself.
She heard the door open, and did not even bother looking up. Her head felt as if it weighed as much as a car. Her tears were soaking up the table beneath her and made her hair and face become very wet. Her stomach felt as if someone was drilling into it. She was too weak to care.
She heard the person sit down in the chair opposite to her. The person placed his hands on the desk, and quietly sniffled. Nichole finally looked up and felt a huge pain in her heart as she did.
"Gordon!" She cried out. She kept picturing the look on his face in the trial. "Gordon I tried! I-I tried to fight her off… But she just got too strong!"
"Nichole! No don't you be sorry! You tried to explain it to me. If only I listened, or realized it earlier. Nichole we can get help for you. We can fix the problem-" Gordon stopped mid sentence, as Nichole suddenly tensed in her seat and started shaking.
Nichole shut her eyes tightly, gritting her teeth. "Candy! N-No! Not when I am with Gordon! Not when this may be the only time I can talk to...him." She clawed at the table, leaving her finger nail impressions in it.
Nichole suddenly felt all her muscles relax and looked up at Gordon. She had on a blank facial expression and stared directly into his eyes; folding her hands on the table neatly.
Gordon was leaning closer to her, tilting his head. "N-Nichole?"
Candy then placed a twisted smile on her face. "I'm sorry Nichole is not here at the moment, but you can leave a message and I will try to get it back to her."
From the smile on her tear stained face, Gordon knew that this was not Nichole.
"Nichole..." Gordon swallowed the lump in his throat, as he felt very upset at the moment. Here Nichole was, and he barely got to speak to her except once and now it wasn't even Nichole he was talking to. It was Candy. "Nichole you are not Candy. Candy is not real."
"Oh I am so sorry Commissioner, but Nichole can't respond to you at the moment. Of course she can hear every word you say to her, but she is unable to talk to you. You're stuck with me. Life's tough. Get a helmet." Candy tapped her head and laughed lightly.
Gordon furrowed a brow. "Candy, get out of Nichole. She hasn't done anything to you and look what you did on trial; you ruined her life!" Gordon found himself almost yelling at this point. He was just so angry at the situation.
Candy placed a hand on her heart looking completely offended by his comment. "How dare you accuse me of that! It's all about Nichole to you isn't it? Haven't you ever thought that maybe I am the victim in this situation? I didn't ask to share a body with Nichole, it just happened. She ruined my life, so I might as well ruin hers. An eye for an eye. Besides...you all think I am craaaaaazy. It's better for me to be locked up." She cackled evilly.
"Nichole did not ruin your life!" Gordon slammed his hand on the desk. "You just sent her to Arkham when she is innocent."
"She's innocent?" Candy raised an eyebrow. The corner of her mouth twitched into a grin. "Now that's funny. Very funny. She is the one that created me. She let me off the leash. So she is just as guilty as me. She's responsible for me, so isn't that a crime? It's like parents and their children. If a child commits a crime or breaks something the adult is responsible because they did not carefully watch....their child. Surely you as a man of the law know this. I bet you any money if you did not know Nichole you would just shrug off this case and think she was insane....like everyone else does. I believe you're too attached to this case Gordon. You should have no involvement what so ever to it." Candy smirked leaning back in her seat, staring at Gordon's increasingly red and angry face.
"That's different. Nichole didn't mean for any of this to happen." His voice cracked.
"How long are you going to continue to be by her side and defend her? Can't you see the domino effect of this single case? Gotham no longer trusts its police forces and thus they don't trust the government, because they help the police forces. With the people no longer trusting anyone, well....let's just say it will be easy for the Joker to take over. So… how long Gordon? How long will it be till you give up on Nichole? She is just a waste of your time! Look at the mess she's caused." Candy laughed looking at him as if he was crazy. "One single person did this." She brought her elbow up onto the table and placed her pointer finger in the air to count out one. "One person."
"And that person is the Joker." Gordon glared.
"No...No no no. Don't blame him." She cut her hand through the air. "He is the smart one here. The person to blame is Nichole and you know. So I am asking you to just give up on her. After all we both are going to Arkham now so you won't have to deal with us anymore. You just will have to deal with the Joker and everyone in Gotham hating you all. The Joker is done with his uses for Nichole. She is spent. He accomplished his goal. Or rather he accomplished a big step in his goal. So just give up; you can't win. Nichole is done for. She is going to Arkham where she will rot for the rest of her sickening god damn life."
Gordon kept a very straight face as he slowly stood up and walked over to Candy. He motioned for her to stand up and she did so; still having her twisted pleased smile on her face thinking Gordon was going to punch her flat in the face. If he did that then he would most definitely be fired, and also would be harming Nichole which would bring a smile to her face.
Suddenly his arms shot forward and there was no more space between them. He rested his head on the top of hers as he held her.
"What are you doing?!"Candy yelled irritated. "Get off of me! Only the Joker can touch me like this!" She screeched as she tried to shove him off of her.
He wouldn't budge.
Nichole was crying deeply in the inside, wanting to hug him back, but just could not regain control of her muscles. Candy was very strong at the moment.
"Nichole?" his voice cracked, "Nichole… I know you're in there somewhere. I hope you can hear me." Gordon began.
Nichole screamed into Candy's mind. Yes I can hear you Gordon! Candy please let me out! Let me talk to him! Just for a second! Please! She begged.
"Just know I am going to help you. Whatever the cost. I am going to get Candy out of you and free you. I swear I will." He kissed her forehead, tears strolling down his face. "I love you... and your life is too precious to go to waste."
Suddenly the door to the room opened and a voice called over to them. "Gordon we told you no physical contact with her. She is a danger to humanity. We have to escort her to Arkham now."
Gordon remained hugging her, as Candy started shaking. Suddenly, the arms that fought so fiercely to push him back found their way around him and pulled him closer. Nichole cried into his chest as her tiny hands gathered the back of his jacket into fists; trying everything in her power she could to hold on to the dear man important in her life.
Gordon let go of her as the officer grabbed a hold of Candy's arm and lead her out of the room. Nichole fought back Candy for a brief moment and was able to turn her head to glance back at Gordon, who was all choked up himself.
The officer led her out the door and down the steps of the courthouse. News reporters were going mental cramming around the two and yelling out questions to Nichole.
Don't worry Nichole I will deal with these hassling reporters for you. Candy stated.
Don't say anything you bitch! Nichole yelled, still trying to regain control of herself.
"Nichole, why did you at the last second change your testimony and confess?" One reporter yelled.
Nichole was thankful that the policemen escorting here, hurried through the crowd of cameras and questions taking Nichole with them.
Their main goal was to get this "monster" locked up where she belonged.
The Joker was seated on the couch in front of the TV, watching the televised trial of Nichole Stevens. He watched every minute of it and nearly burst out laughing as Candy took control of Nichole. After fifteen minutes of some television hosts talking about the trial, it showed a clip of her exiting the courthouse. The Joker was rather disappointed that Nichole still remained herself; as her handcuffed hands tried to cover her crying face as the policemen escorting her hurried through the mob.
The Joker leaned back in his seat laughing sadistically. He grinned at the screen as he paused the TV on her face. His plan was right on schedule and working out much better than he had planned.
He suddenly frowned knowing the cost of his plan; being away from Nichole, when really he had only been around her less than two days since escaping.
But revenge is a dish best served cold.
He was willing to wait.
Pulling up to Arkham Asylum, the police cruisers all halted to a stop at the main gate. It took five cruisers to escort Nichole to the Asylum, as many feared the Joker would try to intercept the transporting. However, their worries were not needed as he did not show up at all. Nichole began to lose all her worries he would come and take her back with him. Though at the moment she did not know what was going to be worse. Arkham or the Joker. With the Joker it was him taunting, humiliating and beating her. With Arkham, God knows what will happen; after all everyone now thinks she is a maniac.
Stop it Nichole! She told herself. This IS better than staying with the monster.
She leaned back in the seat, itching at her handcuffs, which were purposely placed too tight on her by the same officer that shoved her for changing too slowly. Started to lose the feeling in her hands; the pain from the metal pressing on her bruised wrists had numbed.
That same officer stopped the car and walked to the car door she was leaning on. He then opened it and roughly grabbed her arm, yanking her out of the car. She yelped, as he pressed his fingers into her arm, leading her into the dark depressing building known as Arkham Asylum.
The officer brought her to the main desk and lightly tapped on the counter to get the secretary's attention. She glanced up; her eyes glaring into Nichole's tear stained ones. She pressed a red button on a remote control device, and a loud buzzing noise was heard. Two doctors entered the room via a large set of double doors. They smiled at the officer.
"Ah. So this must be Nichole." The female doctor stated. She had obnoxiously vibrant red hair and poor teeth. "The one they have been talking about all the time the past few days. Our new celebrity. Nichole I hope you find yourself comfortable here, since there are a few inmates who have emotional ties to not only people the Joker has killed or harmed, but the children that you both shot at."
She kept a straight face pointing to herself. The look in her eyes were inkling that she herself had lost a loved one to the Joker.
"I am doctor Lyn. And this is doctor Taylor." She pointed to the man next to her. "We will look after you and this man-" She pointed to the security guard who was sitting in a lobby chair reading the newspaper. "Is the guard for the hallway your cell will be located in. He has been waiting here so you two can get properly acquainted."
The guard smiled at her before returning to his newspaper. His smile held no meaning what so ever.
Doctor Lyn, nodded to the officer that lead her in and he quickly went over to the secretary to flirt with her as Nichole had noticed the two kept looking at each other with lust filled eyes. Nichole rolled her eyes slightly to herself.
Doctor Taylor spoke up now to doctor Lyn. "Would you please get her nice and settled? She needs to go through a couple of procedures before being placed in her cell."
Doctor Lyn nodded, as Dr. Taylor turned on his heel back down a different hallway.
Dr. Lyn smiled at Nichole; a smile which Nichole could tell was spurious and full of repulsion. "Now Nichole, we must get you in the proper attire and we must explain our rules and such for this place. If you would please follow me..." She gestured to a door labeled "Stairwell" and walked towards it.
Nichole followed silently behind her. She did not want to talk to or even ask anything to this woman, for Nichole knew what the doctor thought of her. Everyone thought she was just another loony.
The doctors all put on a sort of fake voice when speaking to her, almost one that a person would use to a toddler or pet. Speaking very slowly and clearing, making sure to pronounce every word. It made her sick to her stomach every time they talked; not for the manner in which they were speaking to her, but the meaning behind it. She wanted to escape from this fate thrown at her. Gordon promised he would help her, but she knew there was basically nothing he could do. Candy blew all chances of freedom when she spoke up.
If only I could control you Candy....If only I could be stronger than you. Nichole said flatly to her.
Candy stifled a laugh. The day you're stronger than me would be the day you fell in love with the Joker. Not going to happen. She giggled at what she said now. Yanno...this place... It makes me feel more at ease. Arkham is actually quite peaceful for me She sighed happily.
Nichole was brought into a small room, where Dr. Lyn handed her faded white pants and a white shirt. She then turned around and handed Nichole a wireless bra (to keep from using the wire as an escape tool or to kill herself) and underwear. "We keep them white so if you are bleeding we can know right away." She stated. "Though it is for those who are suicidal and you are not listed to have that sort of issue…"
They have no idea.
Nichole began to put the articles of clothing on and said irritably, "And what am I listed as?"
Dr. Lyn sighed. "Many things dear...Many things that we can fix." She laughed softly.
Nichole finished putting on the clothes, and Dr. Lyn grabbed a clipboard. "Now dear i have to examine all your wounds alright? Can you please lift your shirt up?"
Nichole shut her eyes as she lifted her shirt up slowly for the doctor. Dr. Lyn wrote down numerous things as she eyed every bite mark, slash and wound on Nichole. She spent a good deal of time looking at a large bruise on Nichole's lower stomach. She placed one hand on it and pushed down.
Nichole winced, biting the inside of her mouth to hide her groan in.
The doctor shook her head as she wrote something down. "How many times have you had sexual intercouse with him?
Nichole caught her breath in her throat, tensing completely at the doctors words. "...Three. Three times...."
The doctor took another look at the bruise on her and then tapped her pen to the clipboard. "Nichole...I'm afraid that you at one point or another recieved a punch or were slammed so hard against something, that it wrecked your Uterus...I am afraid that you can not become pregnant, it's all smashed up. Judging by how it feels at the moment, it has healed and i do not think the bruise you currently have there caused it, but something a while back. Perhaps when you were with him the first time?"
Nichole froze in her spot. Two feelings came over her at once. She was a bit sad on the inside to know that she would never be able to have a child of her own flesh and blood. But then she felt relief, and a lot of it. She would never have a child with the monster ever. She knew he would never intentionally get her pregnant, for he would never want a child. But he never cared to try and protect against a child. The thought never crossed her mind once, except when she was rescued from him after he carved her face. Maybe the doctors did not bother to check if her uterus was alright for they were too preoccupied with her face that had a large J in it, that would not stop bleeding.
Still....She was very relieved.
The security guard entered the room now. "She ready to be placed in her cell?" He asked rubbing the brim of his hat.
"Why yes. Hang on I must explain to her a few things first. Now Nichole, you get a shower once a day. Once a week you have group theory and once a day you have single theory. If all goes well you can get out of here...in..." she tapped her chin. "Maybe ten years?"
Nichole's heart dropped. "TEN YEARS? T-That's a joke right?!" She screamed at the doctor. "Gordon will get me outta here! I didn't do anything! This is a misunderstanding! Candy did it all! I hate the Joker! She loves him! It's split personalities! I swear it!"
Dr. Lyn sighed. "Oh dear...she's talking nonsense now. Matt I think we should put her under." He told the security guard.
Nichole's face burned hot. She was now so frustrated with everything."My god can you hear me!? I know what it is! You can treat me with some medication and then I can be on my way! Just listen to me!" Nichole screamed at the doctor as she tried to grab a hold of her.
Matt, the security guard, reached over to the nearest desk pulling out a needle. He examined it before closing in on Nichole.
She tried to run out of the room away from the two. It hurt her so much that no one believed her about Candy. She hated the fact they all thought she was a lying crazy lunatic. It hurt worse than the pain of receiving her "J" scar.
She felt a sudden pain in her left arm. She glanced behind her to see the guard shoving the needle, more deeply than necessary, into her arm. As he pushed down on the needle to allow the clear liquid to enter her blood stream, Nichole felt very light headed. She felt her muscles not responding to her commands, and it wasn't in the same way as how Candy would take control. She was being drugged.
She felt her body hit the ground and everything going black.
Nichole woke up feeling sick to her stomach. Opening her eyes, she took in the cell she was in. It was made of gray cement and rather dark. She then noticed, with wide eyes, that her cell was completely empty. No bed, no toilet, no sink. Nothing but bare walls and floors and a single steel door on the opposite wall to her. It had a single slot at the bottom where one would shove food into the cell without having to step inside.
Nichole crawled over to the door, her left arm hurting immensely from the needle. A small blood stain was on her short sleeve white shirt now.
She poked the slot to try and open it to be able to talk to someone in the hallway, as she wanted to know what she was doing in an empty cell. It looked like a solitary confinement cell, the ones that inmates that would misbehave would be sent to until their behavior was fixed. This cell was meant to sequester it's victim from any human contact. Nichole shivered in terror. She knew of the mental horrors and psychological trauma that saturated the prisoners who were put in confinement. Panicking, she started to bang on the door.
"Hey!" She screamed, her fists starting to hurt after coming in contact with the steel. "Someone out there! Heeeeeey! Let me out of here! This is inhuman!" One of her scabbed knuckles then tore on the steel and began to bleed. "Ah!" She grunted, sucking on her knuckle to relieve the pain. Nichole knew that if she kept this up, at the end of it all, her knuckles would be scared.
When she saw that no one was going to come to her aid, she sat back on the floor and leaned against the uncomfortable wall.
They can't do this to me...They can't.... Nichole thought to herself leaning her head back.
Nichole suddenly heard talking outside her cell and dashed over to the door, leaning her ear on it to hear what the chatting people were saying.
She could make it out that it was Matt the security guard and Dr. Taylor speaking.
"So tell me again why that scum is in this cell?" Matt asked.
Nichole flinched feeling him tap the door.
Dr. Taylor then spoke up. "It's funny, you know? The Gotham police expect us to try and heal this woman. She clearly is crazy and not only that; she works with the Joker. He is the most wanted criminal around here....people like him and her deserve to die and endure the pain they have caused all of the citizens. You ask why she is going to be kept in this cell when it normally is used for people with bad tempers and they only are in the cell for a few hours. It is simple; we want her to suffer. This girl doesn't deserve our time to help her, so we kill her off. But....we do it slowly. Let her wish she was as dead as her victims." Nichole swore she heard a crack in the doctor's throat when she said the word victims. "Besides if we were to kill her off right away, then everyone would grow suspicious of it. Not that anyone would really care, but we would be arrested. The only person we have to worry about trying to check up on her is that damn Gordon. If he tries to enter here, we can just say she is resting or something. Even if he tries to charge in...Do. Not. Let. Him. Understand Matt? All the doctors know this, but I know I can trust you to keep your mouth shut?"
"You got it Dr. Taylor." Matt chimed. "If you want...cause normally I put my chair to guard this hallway further down. I can place it somewhat near this cell, just so I can make sure no one gets in that isn't supposed to get in."
"No that's fine you don't have to. Matt....No one but Gordon is who we have to worry about and if he enters we will be able to stop him."
Matt was now leaning against the door. "Well what about the Joker? What if he-"
Dr Taylor scoffed. "Him? If he dumped her on the side of the street as witnesses say, then he could give two shits about her! Anyway, we have to let her have a shower though as the inmates want to have-" He cleared his throat. "-some words with her." He laughed once more. "So might as well let them 'talk' to her. In an hour Dr. Lyn will be back to escort her to the women's shower area alright?"
"Yes sir." Matt stated.
Nichole could hear the two walk down the hallways away from her cell.
She backed away from the door on all fours. She started to cry out like a dying animal. The few words they said had hit her like a bullet to the chest. One word after the other. She fell over to her side and clawed at the ground screaming. Her screams echoed against the small square cell and came back to her ear drums almost instantly. Hearing her cry only made her feel more hopeless.
She cried and cried. She knew that deep down she deserved to be here… If only she hadn't been offended by Tom's ignorant comment. If only she hadn't listened to her ipod in the bathroom, she then would have been able to hear the gunshots and commotions in the other room and would have known to stay where she was. If only she had listened to what the Joker said and quit her job after school. If only she didn't tell her students. If only…
If only.
If only.
Those are the two words that now remained stuck in the front of Nichole's mind… If only.
She thought once again about her first students... her dear, dear students. Their smiles, their laughter, the intimate things they told her. She could remember each one they shared and who's they were.
If only.
Innocent and pure. Untainted. Once so innocent and pure and filled with smiles and laughter now had a new substance that came out of each of their mouths rather than words.
Blood.
Choking.
And screaming.
If only.
But there was something before that; a door opening. Her walls of optimism had crumbled down around her as soon as she saw his face. Smiled that yellow crooked smile.
Nichole had seen her students for many many days beforehand. She had seen all of their emotions in class as they got closer. But the terror that arised in their helpless gazing eyes. She never saw that emotion from them.
Her students were so pure, so clean, but became covered with blood and bullets before her eyes. What was once so innocent now became bloodied, tainted, and dead.
If only.
She fell to the ground and squeezed her eyes shut. His face was entering her mind again. The one who caused her all her pain and suffering, usually had an evil smile or glare on his scar ridden face. Now it was one in please. He was inside of her.
She screamed. Screamed screamed screamed. That bastard was inside of her! The stabs of his knife, the beating of his fists, the groping of her skin, and the beatings of her belt all began to rain down on her at once.
"FUCK YOU! YOU DID THIS! YOU DID THIS!" She screamed as she thrashed on the ground in seething pain. "GET OFF OF ME! GET OFF OF ME!"
She then began to smash the back of her head against the cement of the floor.
Please let me escape this pain. Please wake me up from this dream. Please save me from this monster. Knock me out KNOCK ME OUT!
It worked.
Nichole fell asleep into the world of no conscious.
If only.
An hour later her cell door opened. Nichole woke up with one hell of a headache. She felt weak as it was from all her crying. It was drained all her energy. After all she had a very emotionally demanding day what with the trial.
She couldn't remember her mental breakdown she had just an hour ago. It was wiped from her memory.
After the shower, she told herself, I am going to go take a long slumber. I don't give a fuck if it's on the stupid cement floor. I want to escape it all again.
Oh ho ho but you can't escape it all Nichole. I am in your mind, which means I have some say on what you can dream about. Candy giggled.
Dr. Lyn tapped Nichole's arm and helped her up. She led Nichole down a few hallways to the shower area. There were dozens of showers lining the wall. No covers, no privacy. Many were turned on and currently occupied by other inmates. Those who were in the room already all turned and stared at Nichole. They glared at her and many stopped what they were doing.
Dr Lyn whispered in Nichole ear. "Now go on and pick a shower. I am sure you can borrow soap from someone. I have to go back to my office. We scan this room before all you enter, so it's safe so no one will cute themselves. You all are grownups here, you will behave accordingly." Dr. Lyn then sounded as if she was holding in a laugh.
As she felt the doctor leave her side Nichole quickly walked over to the nearest shower, feeling everyone's eyes on her. It was a very uncomfortable feeling.
Alright Nichole… just pretend they don't exist. Just get the shower over and done with and you can go back to your cell. Just remember Gordon will get you outta here. She told herself.
She turned the shower on to a medium setting, and shed, clothes, feeling very awkward, but knew she would have to buck it up. After all it was just all females. She tried to picture it like her high school gym class when she used to have to do the same thing. By shutting her eyes and letting the water run down her body while picturing she was still in high school she felt more at ease.
Her back was stinging in pain as the water ran over all her bruises and various cuts, but she bit the inside of her lip and the pain was dulled a bit. She also think her pain was dulled down from whatever shot they administrated to her.
She felt as if someone was near her. She opened her eyes and turned her head to notice a group of the inmates standing by area. Pure hated and fury was the only emotions to be read on her face. Naked with hatred.
"So you're the one...." One tall scraggly looking female stated.
"Excuse me?" Nichole asked nervously. Her nerves came back as she realized she had to do whatever she could to not piss everyone off more than they already were. Many of them she noticed were eyeing her J scar on her face. She blushed, now feeling very awkward.
"You're the one that is in with the Joker. The one that shot up that school. Man girl that's fucked up." Another inmate that looked like a heroin addict added.
"No..." Nichole's eyes filled with tears as shook her head. "It's a big mistake. I didn't-"
"Shut up!" the scraggly inmate yelled at her. "Yanno my cousin went to that school. She got shot in the fucking leg you bitch. When you're in here your precious Joker isn't here to protect you girl. You're in our turf now and you crossed the line just entering here. We prob would hate you just for working with that guy, but messing with my family? Then you mess with ALL of us." She growled.
She then took a hold of Nichole's bare shoulder, her long nails digging into it, and slammed her into the wall of her shower. Her chest dug into the pipe the shower head was connected too and a screw on the pipe ripped the skin of her chest. The woman then grabbed the back of Nichole's head with both hands, and smashed her into tile of the walls, causing the wall itself to become cracked, and Nichole's head to bleed just a few inches above her hairline.
The feeling was similar to the time the Joker had smashed Nichole's head repeatedly five times into a brick wall. That was when Tom was alive, trying to save her.
Nichole panicked and cried out for help from the doctors, who had left the room minutes ago. "Help! Doctor Lyn! Doctor Taylor! Someone!"
The woman turned Nichole around and then punched her painfully in the face. "They can't help you. Don't you know it's not normal for them to leave us all alone?" She gave a twisted grin filled with anger. "They did it cause of you. They wanna turn their heads while we deal with scum like you." She threw another punch at Nichole's face, missing and hitting her painfully neck. The blow knocked Nichole on her side.
Nichole was now choking at this point and her whole face felt like it was on fire. "Stop!" She gasped.
Other inmates joined in taking shampoo bottles and their shoes and throwing them at Nichole. The rest began to kick and punch at her various body parts that they could reach.
The pain was unbearable, and Nichole was shoved onto the ground now in a defenseless and hopeless position. They kicked at her back, hitting her bruises many times, which caused the most pain.
Every wound began to bleed again.
"Look at those hideous love bites girl?! He sure as hell seemed to love the site of that precious chest of yours with the work he done to it." One of the woman growled as she kicked Nichole full on in the stomach.
"He would probably love to see the site of this shit going down right here!" Another cackled.
Her screams of agony were heard and echoed out into the hallways, but the passing doctors and guards pretended not to hear. A small smile would etch on the faces of those who passed by the locker room and heard its sounds.
"Please stop!" She pleaded as blood rushed from her back, mouth, nose, and forehead.
At this point many backed off, allowing two or three to get closer and take more accurate kicks to her chest and stomach. One took Nichole by the arm and dragged her backwards, while another went to Nichole's shower and turned it to the coldest setting it could possibly be. They took her bra, underwear, shirt, and pants and threw them recklessly under the freezing shower water.
Then they took Nichole and threw her under the shower, holding her down beneath the flow of nonstop chill. At the angle they held her, the water rushed into her nostrils and through her screaming mouth. It felt like Nichole's eyes were pushing themselves out of their sockets. She was drowning. The freezing water felt like millions of razors rained upon her. Her whole body went numb, and she began to shiver uncontrollably as the water went down every inch of her body.
After a few more moments of being held under the water (and Nichole only taking sparing breaths of gasping air) they heard the locker room door open. All the other inmates rushed back to their showers acting as if nothing had happened. They dropped Nichole, her back and head landing on the tiled floor with a thud. Nichole laid there under the freezing water, on the dirty floor mixed with her own blood. She was too weak, lightheaded, and tired to move. The tears fell at a constant rate as a slightly warm, but embarrassing yellow liquid ran down her tattered legs.
Dr. Lyn walked over to Nichole faking concern. "Oh Nichole, what happened?" It first sounded like a gurgle but eventually Nichole came to herself.
She tried to speak, but no words could come out. She was in too much pain, and was too cold to respond.
"I see, so you fell? Nichole you must be more careful in here. You could get seriously hurt." Dr. Lyn turned off Nichole's shower.
My God, Can't you see I am hurt? I can't feel anything on me. Please help me. Don't just stand there! Help me, I am shaking in pain! How can you not see it? Nichole screamed in her mind. She knew the doctor could see her pain, but Dr. Lyn just did not care. She wasn't going to help Nichole, she was going to watch her suffer.
"Well get up, we can't have you lying around like that all day. You must go back to your cell. Dinner will be served you then." Dr. Lyn stated, tapping her foot. She knelt down and picked up Nichole's clothes and through them at her. Her soaking shirt fell over her heaving naked chest.
Through the pain and numb, Nichole could still hear her stomach growling loudly. She had not eaten since two days ago, that evening with the Joker. At the courthouse they never had a chance to get food to her. Water of course, but not food.
Nichole then did something she never thought she would do. She begged Candy for help.
Candy....please...give me the strength to get up and go to my cell. Please help me. She pleaded.
Oh so now you want my help? Sorry darling, but you deserve this. You never asked for my help around the Joker, so why should I help you now? Candy stated. And that was that.
Nichole, still shaking, managed to stand herself up; leaning on the crushed wall beside her for support. She put her clothing on slowly, almost not being able to strap her bra on completely or get only one leg into a pant leg. The entire task was made even more difficult as her clothes had been placed under the freezing water and were soaked completely. Once done, she limped over to Dr. Lyn who then escorted her back to her lonely empty cell.
Hearing the door lock behind her she sank to the ground in fetal position, hugging her arms to herself to keep warm. She shivered loudly against the cement floor and it echoed in the damp cell. She never remembered being cold was so painful. Along with the numbness, her legs, arms, chest, stomach, and head were bleeding profusely decent amount. She felt light headed as the blood left her body and stained her white wet clothing.
She heard walking in the hallway of her cell and plates being placed into cells of other inmates. It came as no surprise to her what so ever, when the person passing out food skipped her cell purposely and did not supply her with any food or water.
Nichole spent half of the night, shivering from her wet clothes. She cried herself to sleep from all the pain and discomfort.
In the back of her mind, she wished that she was in the warm bed with the Joker's head on her chest, rather than this.
For two days Nichole endured the same thing. In the mornings the breakfast cart would stroll down her hallway, and ignore her very existence. She moved around in her cell rarely; only to turn onto her stomach of back to give her wounds on whatever side she had been laying on a rest.
Hours she would spend staring at the walls of her cell. The only sound that she could hear was of Candy, constantly teasing and taunting her by bringing up past events like Ariel, Gordon, Tom and even her dog. Once Candy even dared to bring up her mother. Nichole yelled to the cell she was in, not caring who would hear, as long as Candy could. "Shut up! Just shut up!"
She could feel herself drowning into madness.
The most embarrassing thing for her was that due to the fact there was no toilet provided for her, she had to relieve herself in a corner of her cell, causing the small room to smell very quickly along with herself.
Once Nichole could tell the sun was setting slightly, due to the only barred window of her cell showing a few scarlet and orange rays into her cell's floor, Nichole knew what would happen next. She would be escorted back to the showers, where she would be beaten up by those with emotional ties to those the Joker harmed or the students that "Nichole" harmed. She took the beatings, figuring if she fought back that would only make them worse and longer.
A funny thought crossed her mind, as she was limping (almost falling over twice) back to her cell after her shower on the third day of being there. With the Joker, it was only one man beating her and yet here it was dozens of criminals. Psychos. She thought that all the pain that they inflicted on her within a day and a half of her being there so far, was equal to receiving all the pain the Joker caused her in one hit.
By the second morning Nichole was simply not Nichole anymore. She wasn't even human anymore. She was a rag doll, lying down on the cell floor so hopeless and too weak to do anything.
She was starving out of her mind, as she had not been fed in days. The thing that kept her alive, was the water she managed to swallow whenever she took her "showers". Everything on her ached and not just on the outside of her body, but on the inside. Her stomach pained every second of every day and her head was as light as a feather. Her skin had a bit of a ghastly purple tinge to it, as she was cold constantly, and almost always wet from the fact her clothes were being shoved under water, along with herself. It was difficult for them to dry in her cell since the cell itself was damp and uninviting.
The only thing that really scared her at this moment was the fact that she could see more red on her clothing than white. The blood covered her outfit, and every so often a patch of white would be there, clinging to short life it had, since it knew that soon another blow would be sent. Another hit would fire at it, and a wound would cause the red to glide slowly over the white until it was no more. The more red, the more loss of faith Nichole would have.
It was on this third day that Nichole gave up all hope. Her will to survive was gone, and she hoped that someone would just kill her and get it over with. The pain she was enduring was too much. She couldn't even cry anymore. Her tear ducts were in pain.
She rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "I'm going to join you mom." She spoke softly, and gently. "Soon. I'll be with you....and I'll hug you and tell you that everything is alright. Because you won't have to watch me suffer anymore." Nichole shut her eyes for a moment.
"OH WOW NICHOLE! That has to be the sappiest thing I have ever heard you say yet." Candy spoke.
Nichole jumped in shock, as the voice of Candy did not sound as if it was in her mind, but actually in the room with her. She sat up and fell back down from the sudden blood rush to her head. She then finally managed to lean her back against the cell wall. She almost passed out when she saw Candy leaning on the opposite wall by the window. Her arms folded across her chest and a smirk placed upon her face. She was done up in her makeup and outfit, and even had the candy cane pole to boot.
"C-Candy....Candy you-...you can't be in the room with me. You're....a part of me. You're not real. You're in my head. What are you....Wha-....I-..." Nichole stuttered.
Candy batted at the air with one hand. "Shucks Nichole you think too hard. I just wanted to come out and meet with you face to face. I was so tired of being stuck in that head of yours… Constant lugubrious thoughts I had to endure from you almost made me depressed myself! I figured we could use a little bonding for the two of us gals! Since the past few days you have been extremely boring no offense. So I thought to myself, HEY why not come out and chat with you here? Cause Nichole you are starting to ignore me talking to you in your mind and that really ticks me off." Candy started walking around the cell, looking out of the window for a moment before turning back around to meet eyes with Nichole. "I have finally transmogrified myself from being a tiny voice in your head and the reflection in the mirror, to taking actual human form."
"If you wanted to talk to me, you should have just talked to me in my mind like you normally do! Hell even take control of me if you want to so badly! I don't care anymore! You can have my body to use as your tool, there is no point living in this dead skin anymore."
"Why Nichole… That's the problem. There is simply no fun to be had if you just willingly let me take control. It's not fun, and besides why would I wanna take control right now? I am already at the advantage at the moment so I only would if it was extremely necessary."
"Advantage?"
Candy nodded. "That's right. Wanna know the reason I can show myself to you in the flesh here? It is because of this place's aura. It just gives off this "wack-o" vibe to it." Candy took one a finger and swirled it in a circular motion by her head to mimic someone teasing a crazy person. "So since everyone thinks your wack-o...and hell even you are starting to think you are wack-o, I get to visit you." She chucked. "You would now officially be labeled as a schizophrenic in the medical books. Thought you outta know."
"Well you had your fun. Now please....leave me alone. You ruined my life, isn't that enough for you?" Nichole, still only spoke in a whisper. She was in too much pain to yell.
Candy looked at the ceiling as if she was in deep thought, then looked at Nichole and shook her head. "Nope! It's not enough; I want more!" She giggled.
Candy walked over next to Nichole and patted her shoulder. "Listen kid I think you have learned something here. Something you don't even wanna admit."
"And what would that be?" Nichole glared at her.
"That you really are crazy! Nichole if you know you're crazy, you're making progress here! Doctors always say that one who can admit they are crazy is ten times more likely to be healed than those in denial! I mean look at you. You're a mess! Blood everywhere on you and you smell horrible!" Candy brought a hand by her nose and plugged it teasingly.
How childish you are Candy. You act like an immature brat. Nichole thought to herself.
All the sudden Candy brought a hand down and smacked Nichole across the face. Nichole yelped, as this in fact really did hurt her. But how could it if Candy was not real? She didn't question why at the moment, she was too busy trying to dull the pain.
"I heard that Nichole! Just cause I am out here talking to you face to face, don't mean I can't hear your thoughts. After all we still are sharing the same noggin. Don't you dare insult me."
"An insult is what you're worried about? You have done so much more to me you fucking bitch!" Nichole yelled to her, which caused herself pain as it took a lot of energy out of her to raise her voice.
Candy then picked Nichole up by the arm and slammed her into the wall, pinning her by both her shoulders. Candy spat in her face, sending saliva into Nichole's eyes. Nichole screamed out, her eyes stinging as if chlorine were in them.
"You listen to me and listen to me good. You are an ungrateful cry baby of a woman Nichole. You really are. Haven't you seen what this place has shown us? What being in this place had made me realize for you? The lesson you could learn here? Do you not see it?"
"I see nothing here, but death." Nichole stated flatly. She could feel nothing but the pain of the rough wall digging into her poor back.
"Exactly!" Candy smiled. "Don't you see it?! Do you even see that being with the Joker is better than this place?! This Arkham Asylum? The Joker at least clothed you....heh well when he wanted." She winked at Nichole, sending a chill down her spine. "And he fed you and gave you water and gave you warmth. You took all that for granted. And I heard that little thought of yours yesterday, thinking that all the pain you got here was like all the pain the Joker gave you over the entire span of your life in one single hit. Well...again I say at least with the Joker, pain was given over time and to be quite honest I could tell he was holding back many times. What would you rather have Nichole?"
Candy gave Nichole a fierce shake before she continued.
"Being starved, dehydrated, and beaten up by dozens of people at once with absolutely no chance of being able to talk out of it and being around people that don't believe you?! I am saying this for your own good Nichole, because I don't want you to die. If you die. I die and that would be a fucking pain in the ass. At least with the Joker, for your benefit, you were able to talk your way or sneak your way out of a situation, because you knew how to get past his games sometimes. Sometimes you have to grin and bear it, and you know that, but at least there were times you were spared."
Nichole stared at her in horror, not knowing at all what to think. Seeing Nichole was not going to speak Candy continued.
"AND it's funny, dontcha think? The two people in this world that believe you about me and understand your problems and know that you are innocent, are Gordon....and the Joker. Those are your only two options for safety in this city Nichole. You're in too deep to become innocent now. No one will believe you, and I doubt that Gordon can harbor you secretly at his house since he is probably being watched twenty four seven, because of you and what you caused Gotham City."
Candy pretended to ponder for a minute. "And not to mention the fact that he already has a wife and kids. And he is a tad bit too old for you!"
Nichole gasped as Candy burst out laughing.
"The Joker is your only option, Nichole and you know it. You hate him yes. I know. But you're a spineless ungrateful bitch because you hate him. Not only are you ruining MY chances with him, but you are taking for granted the things he has done for you."
"I refuse to ever think that being around him is better than this place!" She screamed in Candy's face.
"Nichole, you need to think about it logically. You don't wanna die. No one does. And if you die you want it to be quick and painless. So what would you rather have Nichole? Hmmm? Staying here and standing on the brink of death for months and months unable to even get the slightest bit of edge, or the slightest bit of mercy… Or would you rather be alive and properly fed and warm....only to endure beatings when you speak out of line or do something that would just be so stupid that you deserve it. Yes...Here you would not be raped and rape is one of the things that makes you hate him, but rape is nothing compared to all this you are getting here. I mean look at you. Forced to go to the bathroom in a corner....living off the small drops of water you manage to catch in your mouth as they beat you...despicable. Nichole you have to see it. You have to. The Joker is better than Arkham." Candy stared at her intently and awaited her answer.
It was a moment of weakness to say at the least. Nichole was losing it at the moment, and knew the fact she could see Candy must have something to do with the fact she hadn't eaten in days and lost so much blood her head was constantly falling forward. She thought of what Candy spoke. She thought of what it was like to eat food, to be warm, to have proper hygiene. She thought of the pain she endured here and the emotional abuse she received for everyone not believing her.
She always hated when she was called a liar. Always in life she found that if someone accused one of being a liar, that that was simply the worst insult one could say. For everyone to be pointing at her saying she is a liar, and insane, and madly in love with the Joker. It was too much for her. Candy was right for once. Gordon and the Joker were the only two to believe her. One of them was her friend, the other was a lunatic she hated.
"Candy....you're...you're right." Nichole whispered. She could hardly see herself say it though.
She had to admit, she would rather take another blow from his biting belt than fatal kicks from dozens of criminals.
Candy loosened her grip on Nichole's shoulders looking extremely pleased with herself. She smirked to herself and thought to herself, without Nichole being able to hear of course. Score!...Operation slowly brainwash Nichole is under way.
Candy laughed to herself, which caught Nichole's attention; although Nichole's head was now hurting more than normal. Her energy had simply been spent. "Wh....hat's....fuunyyyy?" Nichole mumbled.
"Oh nothing Nichole." She patted Nichole on the head. "Well that was a fun conversation, but.." She placed a hand by her ear. "I think a guard is coming. After all I am sure everyone heard you talking to yourself. Now you just went from crazy to absolute loony!" Candy giggled, kissing Nichole on the cheek and then completely disappearing in thin air.
"Ca...ndy? Candy!" Nichole shouted with her last breath. "You come back!"
Her cell door opened and two guards entered, one was carrying a straight jacket. The other was carrying a tray of food and a glass of water. Finally!
The other took out his tazer gun pointing it menacingly at Nichole. "Don't try anything. We are just putting you in this so you're more....comfortable."
Nichole blinked, her breathing picking up. "No. NO! Don't put that on me! I am not crazy. I'm..I'm not. Candy was here. She was here in the room with me. I swear. She was talking to me! She hit me!"
The officer then, for no reason tazered her, sending painful shocks throughout her body. She hollered out in pain begging the guard to stop. Only after her screams turned to gasping and choking for air, did he stop.
"There was no one in the room with you." the other guard stated as he pushed Nichole forward in her sitting position so he could strap the straight jacket on her. "I was watching you via the security cameras in here and you were talking to yourself. At one point you even slapped yourself and slammed yourself against the wall, begging and pleading yourself to stop. You are a danger to now not only everyone, but even yourself. You will need to wear this at all times when alone."
He took hold of her arms placing them inside the arms of the white itchy jacket. He pulled on the two straps attached to the arms and crisscrossed them, so her arms were folded across her chest in the awkward straight jacket position. He pulled tightly as he tied it behind her back.
The guard with the taser happy personality pushed her to the ground as they were done.
It was at that moment Nichole went into a daze. She completely lost it. Everything seemed pointless. Regardless of what Candy told her, she would never break free of Arkham. Never.
She wonder how long she would be able to live in the cell without food.
Food!
Thankfully they left the tray right next to her. Using her mouth only, she wolfed down the spongy mystery meat and (with much trouble) drank the water by painfully grasping the edge of the glass with her teeth and tilting her head back slowly to let the water pass down her throat.
Her stomach growled for more, but she did her best to ignore it miserable.
She looked down at herself. A few of her wounds had opened and now were staining the straight jacket itself red. Her pants her tattered at the end, and her feet were turning purple from the cold. Yes. Any longer she thought the toes on her feet would drop right off.
She rolled over so her back was to the door. She stared up in her fetal position to the window. She could still see the sun. It wasn't even noon yet and the pain was too much to handle.
The only thing she was thankful for (aside from the food) was that Candy was staying silent at the moment.
Nichole then wondered, how long until she died. How long would she be able so survive in the setting she was in. She gave herself two more days at maxium.
A guard entered Arkham Asylum, shutting the door quickly behind him. He did not bother to lower the scarf that was wrapped around his neck and covering his mouth and part of his nose. Arkham was just as cold as outside was, and it was the middle of winter.
The guard was dressed in his navy blue uniform, with his gun tucked away beside him and his various badges on display for the world to see. His eyes scanned the lobby of the asylum, until he decided to walk over to the lady behind the front desk.
"May i help you?" The lady asked, not bothering to look up from her AARP magazine. She was too transfixed with an artical about how to reduce her wrinkles that swarmed her face.
The guard cleared his throat before speaking in a low voice. "I am taking the afternoon shift and I need to know the hallway that includes such people as..Nichole Stevens."
Kait: Well Nichole has finally lost it. (sad face)
Syd: Yeah. I feel bad (frowns)
Kait: Well a new song is added to our Eye Candy soundtrack and this one I think can be Candy's theme song. "Poker Face" by Lady GaGa. If you listen to the song and listen to the lyrics thinking of this story and mainly Candy it fits so well.
Syd: And I would like to add that "Boston" by Augustana also fits well for this story. Especially with what Nichole is feeling about how people think she is a criminal when she is not.
Kait: Calling all artists. If you want to ever draw fanart for the story like other have (And i will say again all of you guys are really talented!) then please message us. Especailly if you do not know what to draw, because Sydney and I have a few favorite moments in the story so far that we would like someone to draw for us. Thanks in advance those who are interested.
Sydney: Guys just to let you know Kait and I are EXTREMELY excited for the next two chapter. Like seriously excited. (jumps up and down)
Kait: That we are! You should be too! But sadly you don't know what is in store next. Just know...it's epic.