I closed my apartment door and fell back on my bed. My smile widened as I remember the interview. I got a job; at Wayne Enterprises no less! As I lay there in my bed, I start to hear a commotion outside my door. I know it's best if I leave it alone, but I'm too damn curious.

I look out of my peep hole and see a bunch of guys breaking down doors. There was something odd though. There were all wearing clown masks. I reach into my bra and pull out my blade, keeping it in my palm. One of the men starts to walk towards my door, raising his foot. I step backward and behind the door, fast as it's kicked in. Thankfully it didn't hit me too hard in the face. The man and another one came in and started searching. I peeked from behind the door and that was my second mistake. As I peeked, one of the clowns turned my direction.

"Hey, boss, there's someone here!" He yelled.

I charged at him, switching my blade open and started stabbing at him. He dodged my attacks until my blade caught his arm. He screamed out and dropped a handgun. I picked it up and aimed it at the other man and shot him in the upper right thigh. I turned to the door and saw a man there, holding nothing but a knife. He was smiling, or at least his makeup made it seem as so.

I aimed the gun at his chest and prepared to speak, "I don't know who the fuck you are and I don't care. You need to take your men and get out because I will not hesitate to kill you. I won't call the police, I hate the police. I just want you to leave. Understand?"

The man licked his lips and held up his hands defensively. "Alright, doll. But, uh, I'm not leaving. This, eh building. It's mine now. So you can, uh, just pack up all your little things, and eh, leave. And you'd better do so fast, before I change my mind and carve up that beautiful face of yours, hm?"

I laughed out and shook my head before I cocked the gun. "You're crazy. I just got here, no chance in hell am I leaving. I'm going to count to 5. If you're not gone, I will kill you. This is MY shitty apartment and I'll not have some freak try to take it. Now. 1."

He took a step closer to me and licked his lips again, "I'm not crazy. No. I'm not."

In one swift motion, one that I could not see, he had me backed up against the wall, his blade in the corner of my mouth pushing outward. It was then that I noticed the jagged scars under the red makeup smile.

"Are you nervous? Is it because of the scars? Wanna know how I got them?" He licked his lips and pushed the blade outward more, drawing a single drop of blood. I tried to shake my head or turn away but he put his hands on my chin, holding it firmly in place, making me face him.

"I use to be a police officer. A real one, who wasn't corrupt. One day, I arrested a very big, notorious drug lord. Well, he didn't like that. Not. One. Bit. So on my way home to my wife, who was beautiful, like you, I get into a little accident. Some of the drug lords were there to teach me a lesson. They stick the blade in my mouth and do this. They killed my wife in front of me. All because I was doing my job. But now I see the funny side. Now, I'm always smiling. "He laughed a deep and sinister laugh and licked his lips again. His face slowly inched closer to mine, I could smell the greasepaint, the metallic smelling paint mixed in with so many oils that it almost shined in the right light. But he also smelled of cherries. His deep brown eyes stared into my bright blue ones. I felt something stirring inside my chest. I couldn't tell what it was.

"Now, sweetheart. I'm gonna be nice and let ya stay here. But, uh, if you tell anyone I'm here, I'll have to kill ya, okay then?"

He pulled away from me and took the blade out of my mouth. When he reached the broken door frame, he licked his lips and bowed and the waist to me.

"Wait!" I call out as he turns his back to me. He stops mid turn and looks at me over his shoulder.

"Who are you?" I ask, mentally slapping myself for asking.

He smiled and said, " You can call me, The, eh, Joker, doll."

And with that, he walked away.