"What…what did you do?"
Andrea braced herself, but she could already feel her lip trembling and her eyes stinging. Her stomach churned as all the tortures she'd imagined raced through her head. These were the dreams that woke her every night. Now she'd finally learn the truth.
Joker leaned forward and spoke in a conspiring tone.
"Maybe it's quicker if I tell you what I didn't do."
Again, Andrea's hand lashed out. Her nails left scratch marks on the Joker's ashen cheek, but the villain simply spluttered with laughter. There was nothing she could do to him. All of her fantasies, imaging his fear, her revenge. They were childish dreams.
"You sick freak," she breathed, all attempt at intimidation gone.
"Please, you flatter me. But we're straying from the point and getting all upset. Your old man was just the same, you know. Always crying. Til I put a smile on his face." Joker cackled, coughed and cackled some more. "Mind you, not much room for payback in that regard."
"I could wipe the smile off your face."
"Oh, good one! I mean it this time. You're getting better already."
Andrea kicked the chair, and the Joker toppled on his side with a thud. His head smacked heavily against the cold factory floor. Blood trickled across the concrete.
"Just…tell me. Tell me what I want to know."
"Oh no, you've gone and undone all your hard work," Joker jibed gleefully. He looked slightly dazed from the fall. "And you were doing so well. Now you've gone all weepy. But okay. You know how I like to make a person happy. I'll tell you how I put your father out of his misery."
Tears began to roll from her eyes as she crouched down beside the madman. This was it; the secret of his final moments. Silently she prayed it was quick and painless, but in her heart she knew it could never be the latter. Let it be quick, she thought. Let it, at least, have been quick.
"Well?"
"Come down here, let me whisper it to you. It's a secret."
She dropped to her knees and leaned forward, putting her ear as close to his mouth as she dared. Joker licked his lips and then his teeth, smiling vacantly.
"Closer. Closer." Joker begged. She inclined her head just a little more. "Let's just say, he had a warm send-off. Hahahaha!"