THE REAL DEFINITION OF INSANITY

Jerome's Perspective:

I act like I don't have a mind of my own, that my opinions and thoughts don't matter...but that's strictly not true. I have many thoughts and I'm not willing to share them, it's complicated but it keeps my victims guessing.

The name Jerome Wright doesn't have a ring to it, I stick with just Jerome and sometimes even try thinking up my own villain alias. Sure, Joker taught me some tricks but he's shaping me into someone I don't like. Someone I hate.

Poetry? That was my brother's thing, not mine. And yet I act like I use it on a more serious level, which is true but I'm dropping the whole poetic approach and trying my own level of madness. Unpredictability...it's what makes us interesting for other people. I'm not angry at Joker for killing my brother, far from it...I'm glad that I don't have to deal with another eye-witness. But then...at the same time, he stole the poetry thing from me, and I don't even like it. I suppose it's more of a unique trait to have but personally, not a very enjoyable one.

I am not becoming another Joker, in fact...I might just try and kill him or threaten him with something...or someone he loves. Hmm...he's pretty fond of that girl, what's her name? Harley! That's right.

"When we rise above darkness and take the place of another unfortunate mind..." I said seriously. "The mind we take becomes owned by another." "And when the mind blanks...you move on..."I took out a revolver from my coat pocket and walked towards The Joker. I pointed the gun at one of the girls and shot her in the leg. "I am not your sidekick, don't make anyone else suffer for your mistake." I said, putting the gun near Joker's head.

Batman rushed over to the injured woman and comforted her. He looked at me with anger, he wanted to get up and punch me but felt more obliged to keep the dying woman company. Typical...predictable heroism. Boring.

The Joker just laughed at me. He wasn't afraid of dying or pain, I knew that. But I knew he was afraid of losing something, someone. I removed the gun from Joker's head and walked over to Harley.

"You got a good one here, J. She doesn't even flinch at your ugly-ass anymore." I said sarcastically walking around the room and moving the gun around in my hands.

Joker was clearly surprised that I didn't just talk in verses of poems. He was also surprised at my sudden disrespect, though he didn't exactly show it.

I wasn't scared of him or what he might do to me. I knew that the person he tried to make me isn't the person that I am. The person that I am is not an addition, not a replacement. But an actual person, someone with enough guts to kill anyone they want without hesitation. I'll show him, I'll show everyone. Soon enough...they will know the true consequences of their actions.

"Betrayal huh? Well I must admit I didn't think you had it in you! Here I thought I had a naïve little boy running around with guns without a care for revenge, and yet you've proved me wrong. So what are you going to do? Start a new life? Get a new look, new appearance...a new persona, perhaps? Or...will you settle things with yourself, with me and get some real revenge on the one who made you a criminal? Normally...I wouldn't care if you put a gun to my head and wanted to kill me. But involving my girl into this? Well...that's one mistake too many, Jerome." Joker said disappointingly.

"Why don't we ask 'The Dark Knight' what he thinks?" I asked, moving over to Batman. He was still with that woman. I shot the girl he was comforting in the head. Batman looked up at me, angrily. "I don't like waiting, Dark Knight"

The other girls screamed and moved away from the body.

"You...you killed her!" Batman said, slightly upset and angry at the same time.

"And you kept me waiting, I think you know how serious the situation is...so answer me this, Dark Knight. Why comfort a woman whose hours are numbered? She would've died within the day so why put yourself through the stress to stroke her hair and assure her that she will be fine? You and I both know she wouldn't be fine." I said "All of these girls, what value do they possess to you, to anyone? I could slowly kill each and every one of these girls and make you watch the entire process...how would you feel about that?" I asked seriously.

"You wouldn't..." Batman replied in disbelief.

"Oh, I would." I said, raising the gun and about to shoot another girl dead.

"Wait! What do you want from us?" Batman asked nervously, putting his hand in front of me.

"I'm glad you asked, Dark Knight." I started. "Joker knows what he did, he knows what he put me through. And no, I'm not talking about my brother's brutal murder at his hand. He thought he could push me around as an additional weapon in his arsenal, well... he was wrong." I addressed the girls cowering in the corner of the room, hoping that I would leave them alone. "Now, I know you don't want to get hurt, so please do yourselves a favour and be quiet." I said, threatening them.

Turning around, I pressed a button on my phone to signal for some assistance. Military assistance. Let's just say, I know some very good friends of mine who would love to help me teach a lesson or two to our guests.

I walked back to the centre of the auction room where my hostages were.

"Now...where was I?" I asked myself.

"Well... I was about to kill you." Joker said, looking down at the gun in his hand.

So that's how he wants to play it, hmm? Very well.

"Gunfighting? Please...that's so common." I said, unimpressed by his threat.

"Oh, you don't like guns?" Joker asked, putting the gun back in its holster and getting out the switch-blade knife from his pocket.

Catwoman used her whip to disarm the gun from my hands. Joker walked over to me, knife in hand.

He grabbed me in a choke-hold and put the knife near my mouth.

Harley decided to join in with our 'fun' and walked over to my position, preparing to hurt me.

"I'm gon' ask ya a few questions. If I don't like the answer. You get hurt! An' I can keep this going until you bleed ta death if I have to!" Harley explained, grabbing the knife from Joker's hands and pointing it at me. "Mind if I borrow this, Mistah J?" she asked.

"Be my guest..." Joker replied sinisterly, tightening his grip around my neck with his arm and smiling at her.

"Question one, why are you an asshole?" she asked, punching me in the stomach.

"No fair, I didn't get chance to-" I tried to say, but Joker tightened his grip to stop me from speaking.

"We didn't ask for your opinion on her rules...She can do whatever she wants to you, even kill you if she wants" Joker said, laughing at my struggle.

"Batman, I know this is difficult for you...but please let her have her fun, don't ruin her little smile." Catwoman said to Batman.

"I won't let her kill him" Batman said, watching the torture I was enduring.

"Question two...who are you?" Harley asked, whilst playing with the knife in her hand.

"As if I'm going to tell you, sick little girl" I said spitefully.

She didn't like that, she took the knife and put it to my throat. Joker moved his hands out of the way of the blade but still had me held firmly.

"You shouldnt've said that... naughty naughty. What am I gonna do with ya?" she said, punching me in the face. "Awwww, did that hurt? That's a shame" she taunted.

"What do you expect? Why should I answer your questions, you have no authority over me. I'm not your patient, I haven't gotta answer shit to you" I said, spitting blood out of my mouth onto the floor.

"Then we'll try another approach, Harley, May I?" Joker asked Harley.

Harley handed Joker the knife. He grabbed me by the collar with one hand and wielded the knife in the other hand.

Joker slit my forehead open slightly and let the blood run down my face.

"Ready to talk?" Joker asked.

"Hmmm...nope" I said, looking Joker in the eyes and smirking at him.

"You will...Oh...you will" Joker said, handing the knife back to Harley and getting me back in his grip. "Please, Harley. Give him hell" he said, smiling at her.

Looks like I'm in a bad situation, luckily I heard footsteps outside of the nightclub entrance.

Yep...that should be about time for their arrival.

My armed reinforcements burst through the door and pointed their assault rifles at everyone in the room. Everyone, except me of course.

"GCPD! ON THE GROUND, NOW!" the officer shouted.

No, they weren't actual GCPD officers, just an imitation of them. They took their roles seriously though.

"You, release him." the officer said, pointing the rifle at The Joker.

Joker released his grip but Harley refused to give up despite the police raid which was taking place. Harley took the knife and drove it deep into my chest.

She then removed the knife from my chest and threw it on the ground. Harley hugged The Joker, kissing him on the lips. She accepted her addiction, finally.

I clasped the bleeding area of my chest and fell to the ground.

'Blurred vision,

The only sign of failure that matters.

I knew my legacy would live on,

Through death,

My life doesn't end.

Let them feel gratitude if they must,

The truth is my reign of terror is far from over.

It's only just beginning.'

The final poem verse I care to utter in my thoughts before my body gives out at a rapid pace, blood pouring out of my open wound and coating my clothing in red. Eyes wide open, a smile on my face. And then...

Darkness.