Alice unclasped the hooks and eyes that lined the back of her ornate white tutu. She peeled off the bodice and slowly stepped out of the costume leaving her topless with just tights. She placed the tutu on its rack and reached for the black one. She hesitated before putting it on and just looked at herself in the mirror. Why did she come back to Gotham, nothing good happened here and she knew it. But she still had a glimmer of hope, a hope that something good would come out of returning to this awful city she once called home. Despite that she was frustrated and angry, not only with herself but also the things she had no control over.
A sudden urge came over Alice and she reached an arm behind her neck digging her nails in deep. She started to slowly drag them across her shoulder blade ripping the skin leaving tiny shreds of blood in her wake. She just stared at herself in the mirror as she relentlessly scratched her back over and over re opening the tiny scars that had faded over the years. She hadn't hurt herself like this since her parents died but she needed it, after all she couldn't save her parents and now she couldn't save herself.
Alice withdrew her hand and wiped the blood on her back away with a tissue. She then proceeded to put on the black tutu as if nothing happened, pulling the straps over her stinging shoulders, hoping the audience wouldn't see the scratches from the stage. She looked to mirror once more as if justifying what she had done.
Her stare broke when she heard the soft melodies of violins and oboes; she dusted her face with white powder and made her way up to the stage. As she walked through the dark hallways she let her mind slip into a place she didn't go very often, a place that was made of nothing but pure darkness and tragedy. She would only let herself access this part of her mind when she had to, and being the Black Swan called for that.
She waited in the wings staring blankly at the blue lit stage. The dancers moved together as one creating hypnotizing patterns, a kaleidoscope of swans. Together all the swans moved to one knee lifting there arm like a wing signaling the entrance of the Black Swan, Alice quickly scratched her back once more and stepped out onto the stage with a devious smile and piercing eyes.
The audience responded with a sea of applause as Alice graced the stage taking her place in the center. Two men gave a standing ovation at the mere entrance of the Black Swan, of course the two men were William and his dear friend Bruce. As she started to dance the iconic solo the men sat down,
"Wow William I have to say you really got yourself quite a catch." Bruce said staring at the beautiful women on stage. "She is breathtaking."
"Thanks Bruce, she really is something else." Will said in response.
"What is her name?" Bruce asked still transfixed on the dancing swan.
"Alice, Alice Rose Polanco. I'm sure you've heard of her, she was the daughter of Vinny Polanco, the mobster. Shes been through hell and back, I mean for god's sake her brother murdered her parents, in front of her! Shes been all over the news since she came back from Italy with me, but hey I forgot you don't watch the news."
Bruce's lips parted upon hearing her name, of course he knew who she was, she was the only girl he loved before Rachel. He looked at Will and then back to the stage with disbelief, the last time he saw Alice was the day her parents died, after that he never heard from her again. He knew everything that happened that dreadful night; he even knew why Peter did what he did. He knew that Alice had to leave and he knew that telling her the things she didn't know would only hurt her more. So Bruce did the only thing he could do, he let her go.
Assuming that William didn't know about him and Alice, and considering that just about no one did Bruce looked back at his friend and said,
"Well even though I don't know who she is I can tell that you are a lucky man." He patted Will on the back and returned his gaze back to Alice as she moved across the stage with grace and precision.
The Joker stepped out of the van, gun in hand, and moved towards the entrance of the theater swiftly. Another van pulled up and about five other henchmen stepped out, they followed the purple clad clown cocking their guns and lowering their disturbing clown masks. The Joker shot down the glass doors of the lobby making the security guards reach for their guns, they were killed before their hands could reach the holsters.
The gang of armed clowns made their way through the lobby and burst through the theater doors shooting rapidly at the ceiling making their entrance known. The audience turned around and shrieked in terror as henchmen grabbed hostages placing smoke grenades in their mouths. The orchestra halted with a screech and the dancers on stage ran for the wings, Alice froze in her place recognizing the ring leader from a distance. An alarmingly loud shot gun pierced the air silencing all the commotion. The Joker slowly walked up the aisle leading to the stage pointing his gun at helpless people as he went.
"Good evening ladies and eh gentle-men, I have come to collect my white rabbit. Or in this case my eh Black Swan." The Joker leapt on stage and moved towards Alice who was frozen in fear, still standing like a dancer. People in the audience gasped and looked to the stage with disbelief. Bruce and William stood up and started making their way to the stage to get Alice, but before they could get close they were stopped by two goons holding guns to their backs. They each lifted their hands up in response.
The Joker's shoes clacked against the stage as he circled the frozen Alice, his eyes moved up and down her body slowly like an animal stalking his pry.
"My my look at you all dolled up." He said letting the corners of his mouth tilt upwards. Alice shot him a look of pure disgust. He was standing behind her now, too close for comfort. The Joker noticed the fresh gashes and simply reached his hand up and traced them with his gloved fingers. She shuddered at his touch, her back stinging with every stroke.
She turned around to face him. He grabbed her chin roughly with one gloved hand and forcefully turned her face side to side inspecting the bird like makeup. Alice could feel her heart sink as she breathed in his vile scent.
The Joker let his thumb drift over her deep red lips, he could feel her hot breath through his gloved finger. He pressed his thumb down hard and moved it left and right smearing the lipstick into a smile, just like his. Alice tried to squirm free from his touch, but the clown's grip tightened intensely holding her head in place.
"There, that's better." The Joker said with a deep husky voice and a sinister smile; he tilted his head back as if admiring a work of art.
Alice felt so violated. She recalled the vow she made to herself the other night in the cab, the one where she would never let that 'punk' touch her again without giving him a new pair of scars. But upon realizing that he was the most dangerous man in Gotham she concluded that if she tried to hurt him she would be the one getting scars.
"Don't fucking touch her!" Will shouted while trying to break loose of the henchmen's grip. He was unsuccessful and the goon hit him over the head with the butt of his gun rendering Will unconscious. The Joker looked in their direction glaring at the goon as if demanding an answer, the masked henchmen shrugged his shoulders and the audience members remained frozen in shock.
The Joker rolled his eyes and returned his gaze back to the trembling girl in front of him. He looked deep into her amber orbs and fiendishly licked his branded lips,
"You wanna know how I got these scars?" He nodded his head as if answering for her. "My mother…" his voice trailed off and he glanced left and right as if looking for an answer. He bit the inside of his cheek and looked back at Alice noticing something different about the girl. She looked intrigued, almost mesmerized, her eyes silently begging for him to continue speaking. She wanted to know how he got those grisly scars ever since the moment she saw him, ever since she felt them on her own cheek.
"Ehhh nevermind, we'll save that for another day, we're on a tight schedule." The Joker said while looking at the imaginary watch on his wrist. He then changed his grip on Alice; he stepped behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, pushing her to walk forward. He guided her off the stage and into the audience where she watched helplessly as the goons started to pull the pins on the grenades.
As they walked passed Bruce Alice silently pleaded with him, telling him to come after her this time, telling him to save her. The Joker noticed the girl eyeing Bruce and grabbed her harder, pushing her past him. The two made it out into the lobby where all the goons gathered behind them as if waiting for instructions, with a nod of his head the goons exited the rigged theater leaving Alice and the Joker just standing there.
Alice's hart was racing, she was starting to sweat with fear, and she wanted to fight back so bad but was terrified. This was not like Alice, usually she wouldn't go down without a fight, kicking and screaming to the last second. Something in her changed, almost like carelessness, almost like she didn't care if he took her and killed her. At this point who would blame her, the only person she had left was her abusive boyfriend Will. But she remembered suddenly she still had Bruce. After all these years she only hoped that he would remember and that small hope was worth fighting for.
With that she turned around fast and slammed her fist into the Joker's jaw causing him to step back. He laughed as he rubbed his chin slightly smearing his makeup,
"You got a little fight in you, I like that."
Alice then charged at him again attempting to kick him in the stomach, he caught her leg mid air causing her to fall hard on the lobby floor. She tried to get up but her pointe shoes couldn't grip the shiny granite, she scooted back as the Joker hovered over her smirking. He grabbed her by the bun and slammed her head into the floor causing her to scream in pain. She went limp and allowed herself to surrender; he then picked her up cradling her and walked out the shattered doors.
The van door opened and he carelessly threw her in, he got in after her and slammed the door shut. Alice noticed the change in her surroundings and looked around franticly for a way out, she was trapped. A goon was blocking the door on her left and the Joker was to her right. She started breathing heavily as the reality of her situation kicked in; she was being kidnapped by the most feared man in Gotham. The clown prince of crime noticed her uneasy breathing and looked at her; he patted her face roughly,
"ShhhSHHShhh don't be so nervous Alice, everything will be alllllright." He broke into a hysteric fit of laughter and clasped his hand around her tiny throat. "Look at me." Alice shut her eyes tight in response.
"LOOK AT ME." She opened her eyes at the sudden change in voice, it sounded like the gates of hell were being released through his throat, she turned and looked at him with horror. He licked his lips and smiled while slowly tightening the grip around her airway. The darkness closed in on her eyes and the last thing she saw was his Cheshire grin before slipping into unconsciousness.