Dreaming tends to bring nothing to me but black. Now it's not to say I've never remembered what occurred the previous night from time to time, I personally like to think of it like a game of Russian Roulette. Every time I sleep there's a one out of six or eight chance depending on the gun you use. Some nights bring nothing and a few give me a quick glimpse to my unconsciousness and all the deep desires inside. Staring into the abyss shows nothing but darkness. Sometimes it will stare right back without your awareness.
"Mistah J what are we doing here?" They were at the ACE Chemical Plant walking on the steel railings above the industrial holders. The green heterogeneous mixture of well...no one really knows, there was never an origin for this mysterious green liquid. She rubbed her hand on the railing, peeping down was a big vat with a titanium inner layer but shelled with iron on the outside. This section of the plant was always scarce in personnel. The fumes made many nauseous, others felt disoriented. The air filters were put in place after enough lawsuits were settled. Nevertheless the two were here, not exactly a place for a date.
"I wanted to show you where I was reborn. Alone in this big tub, wearing a red hood and cape, god I never felt so scared. Everything burning, blood coming from eyes, tremors in my hands I couldn't shake, a deafening ring in my ears, and of course some slight angst. It was my destiny to become the man you know and love today."
He was silent, staring at the vat he smiled. "Do you trust me pumpkin?"
"Yes." He grabbed her hand and held her chin up. "I love you Harleen Quinzel." He kissed her before picking her up.
"Puddin!?" It was too late, resistance has been useless, he threw her into the vat. "AAAAAAAH!" She splashed into the green as Joker started laughing. "Don't worry sweets, it will all be over shortly." He ran to the valve to drain out the vat. Harley was fully submerged into the liquid and all that was left is bubbles. The valve was twisted and the draining began, the liquid sinked into the drains but yet no sight of his Harley. Before it was completely empty J decided to come down to see his creation face to face.
What was right in front of him was astonishing. She was trembling from the cold air. Her skin was of the same ghost white hue as his, hair color had more depth along with her irises. The contrast with her skin showed emphasis with her lips, red as cherries and probably taste just as sweet.
"Wow. You are so...breathtaking, a true jester of beauty."
"Come here Mistah J, your Harley wants ta give ya some sugar." She jumped him, her mouth locked with his, heat and physical tension above all else, fun right?
"NO puddin stop!" The scream woke up Joker with worry.
"Harley is everything alright?" Her shakiness eased as the seconds passed by but a couple tears fell from her eye. "Oh Mistah J I just had a frightening dream." His concern was genuine and understanding, granted his dreams brought back some undesired memories and tragedies.
"What happened in your dream?"
"You took me to a chemical plant."
"That's it?"
"No, you threw me into a vat of acid. It was like you were trying to make me reborn in your image. I'm sorry, I know it's just a dream. They shouldn't mean anything."
"You never have to apologize to me Harley. I never will tamper with your divine image, you're perfect just the way you are." She snuggled back into her position on the bed, wrapped around him.
"Tomorrow, mind if I take you somewhere?"
"Sure, Saturday's are open for me usually. What is it that you have in mind?"
"A drive."
Saturday Morning
Joker and Harley woke up at eight in the morning. They showered, got dressed, and cared to have a big breakfast before strolling out the door to get on the Gotham Expressway. Harley gave him directions as they progress closer in the heart of New York state. Reaching Syracuse was the farthest they went together so far, this was needed for Harley and J wanted to support her in full for this.
The dead walk among us. Yes I've heard it enough times. Personally I never cared much about the afterlife, what happens, I have no clue. Most choose to mourn those they have lost. Harley and her family were no different. Once her grandmother passed away, she didn't leave her home for a week. It felt like a knife piercing through her chest, all she could do was wither in pain. With time she went back to her charming, fun, and carefree attitude. Life is merely a series of fuckups where the test is to see if you can handle all the collateral damage that comes with it.
"This is your grandmother." He looked at the tombstone. It was a gray marble hue. The stone was polished, left with flowers from a previous visitor.
"Yes, this is my Bube." The tone she spoke was despondent. Despite it being a decade now, the feeling still didn't change. You can always move forward, but don't forget where you came from. Those we know and meet along our own journey's.
The sky was covered in dark clouds, the cold breeze of the morning brushing across Harley's skin. J took off his suit jacket to place it over her for warmth. Joker held her tightly, Harley's arms wrapped around her in response. "Thank you." A tear traveled down her cheek. He said nothing, just merely rubbed her back slowly for comfort. In his mind a thought of his family came to, actually just his mother. She committed suicide from years of abuse by a destructive, misogynistic, and alcoholic husband. One day she was discovered in the tub, both of her wrists were slit with a razor blade. The man of the house came home from an extended weekend of barhopping and gambling across town.
The funeral was not pleasant. A part of him died that day, sympathy. In the church young Jack stood two feet from the coffin were his mother would be spending time decaying and become nutrient for maggots. The church doors opened loudly with the father swinging and trying to brush of soot from his suit. The bourbon on his breath could be smelled from a distance.
"Looks like she bite the bullet in the end huh son?" Jack couldn't even respond. It was the one moment when there was no joke in disparity. "Hey speak when spoken to you little shit!"
"Fuck you." He went to the pew to wait for the priest to begin the service for the passing of his mother.
"Ann." That name hasn't been spoken by him in a very long time.
"Who Mistah J?"
"My mother. This sight reminds me of my mother's funeral. It was small, only family members came, those who cared enough. I walked in the grass glancing at the tombstones after she was lowered to her final resting place." He felt Harley's grip tighten around him.
"I'm so sorry puddin. How did she pass?"
"In a bathtub, both wrists slit with a razor blade. She couldn't handle the life she possessed any longer. That's what I tell myself at least anyway. The vast emptiness I felt losing her presence was a month I never forget."
"I could only imagine losing a parent. It would be hard for me to accept as an idea let alone an inevitability."
"Well the past is the past. Should we return back home or do you want us to stay here for a little longer?" Harley noticed the evading of the conversation. She might ask him about it along the ride back to home.
"We've already have brought some pink roses and paid our respects. Just another minute puddin please."
"Sure, anything for you sweets."
The drive back to the Gotham was mostly silent with the occasional statement or random sneeze. Both wondered how much a person can be pushed to the point they can break. J was a nice example but he isn't like the average person. Insanity is something we all share but it's channeling it through properly is how you watch the world burn. Motive is the mistake most make when it comes to heinous acts against humanity. If they know why you act, they will crush you. Setting a bomb in a hospital and blowing it up is an example. Why kill so many individuals? You have nobody valued to any significance. The crave for destruction is there but even then the validity is unclear. It's because you can. The GCPD would chalk it to mental instability and the bat would rather smash your head into glass. Not every action needs a backstory. And that truly is the scary truth.
"How old were you when she passed J?" Her question made him sigh in his head. He shouldn't have brought out that skeleton from the closet.
"Just turned seventeen at the time."
"Was she married?"
"Yes."
"How did you father react?"
"He laughed."
"And how did you react to that?"
"Sweets I'm not really in the mood to discuss this any further right now." This must have been a nerve that has never been poked or prodded before.
"I'm sorry puddin. I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to Mistah J. I'll always lend an open ear if you need it though."
"Thank you." She couldn't help but be interested. His mentioning of a mother and possibly less than reputable father. All this happens around just becoming a young adult. There is a large gap between that and when he became the pale man. A period of time no one knows about but him.
Returning back to Gotham brought back the feeling of home. You need someone to innervate the crowds whether it is with a vile of Joker toxin or cyanide rain clouds with real death inducing convulsion for only a small price of $19.95, shipping and handling not included. Right now the presence of gloom always gave J a craving for bodacious cuisine. "Wanna get some takeout pumpkin."
Harley didn't feel like grabbing something to eat. In fact, she wanted to just sleep the rest of the day off. "No thank you Mistah J. I would much rather sleep in our bed for the rest of the day. But I do appreciate the offer though."
"Okay love." He took her home. Turning the car off in front of the townhouse he noticed that she was already asleep. He smiled, "my peaceful little Harley." Exiting out his door he went around to the other side. He unbuckled her seatbelt and slowly raised her up to his chest holding her wedding style. Using his key to get in he trotted up the stairs carefully to not disturb the sudden slumber.
The sheets were pulled down and then was the fun part, getting the doctor into the bed. He lowered her down with ease. It was like fitting into the right glove. Pulling the covers up to her chest he stopped and gazed for a second. This is his girlfriend, lover sounds better. Before he went downstairs to order some greasy Chinese he kissed her full lips. "Pleasant dreams love."
He went downstairs to fill an order. She smiled tasting him on her lips. "Next time I'll order Italian."