Chapter 10 - Staying Alive
Since my last encounter with Joker, I had lost all track of time. I didn't know if it was day or night. Nor did I know for how long I have been tied to this chair. My stomach has already started to eat itself and I'm wondering if he's just going to let me starve to death.
A cruel death, but fitting for a monster like Joker.
The feeling in my arms is long gone and the tears on my face have dried completely by now. I've spent the past, god knows how long, convincing myself that everything is going to be alright. Elena and Bruce are already looking for me but I'm also aware that it doesn't matter even if the whole City is on the lookout for me, if I cannot survive this.
Death was always a funny thing to me. Nothing more but a word. When my parents died I felt nothing. Okay maybe nothing is the wrong word, maybe I did feel a slight relief but the world kept on functioning. The truth is, I am deadly afraid of my own death. Although I know it's natural when you're not allowed to live the way that you want to live. When every step and every decision in your life is forced upon you by other people and you have no idea who you are, then death is the scariest thing you can imagine, because the years of your life have been wasted, as you just await your ending without ever truly feeling alive.
I'm ripped from my thoughts as footprints can be heard from afar. The door opens and the light is turned back on as Steven stands before me. "I knew the clown was fuckng nuts, but hey at least he took a pretty bitch. Feeling lonely, Princess?" He slurs. His alcoholic breath hit my nose.
"Please" I try nonetheless, but my voice is failing because my throat is almost dried out. "Please help me. This is all a big misunderstanding." But Steven just keeps on staring me up and down.
He silences me by placing his hand over my mouth and I have to fight with myself not to puke my guts out. "Shit, how old are you? Are you even 18 yet? Fuck, I haven't had a proper fuck in so long ... I'm sure the clown won't mind if I take a test drive for myself."
'No!'I bite down as hard as possible on his hand making him scream out in pain and before I knew it he slapped me across the face making me fall backward with the chair.
Luckily this time the rope starts to come loose and I'm able to struggle myself free. Crawling away from the drunken goon I take off running towards the door that he left open, but before I can even reach it, Steven pulls me back. "You little cunt!" screaming while he climbs on top of me ripping my tank top apart, exposing my black bra.
I screamed and cried the whole time wondering if anyone could even hear me. If anyone even cared that I was about to get raped. One thing was for sure, I wasn't going to go down without a fight. Struggling against him, not giving him the chance to grab my arms I managed to headbut him and then scratch him across his left eye even drawing some blood in the proccess.
But my upper hand was only short-lived when Steven punches me across my jaw. I can only lie there in a daze for a few seconds hearing him undo his belt. Feeling his hands going up to my shorts, slowly pulling them...'BANG!'
I scream and cry in fear as the sound shallows through the room. I open my eyes and look at my body to find no bullet and no blood, but once I look towards my legs I see Steven lying there with a hole in his head.
Breathing heavily I dare to lift my eyes towards the door where Joker is standing in the doorway still holding his gun in mid-air. His head cocked to one side, starring daggers into Steven's lifeless body. I'm not sure if I'm allowed to move or not because the furious look in his eyes is so unpredictable. Just a moment later though his mood changes completely as he casually tucks his gun away. It seems that it is only now that Joker even realizes that I'm on the floor.
"Logan-ah, boy!"
A second man appears in the doorway and I recognize him as the one who I first saw when I was allowed to have some water. He looks surprised to see Steven dead next to my feet. "Yes, Sir?"
"Would you take care of ..."
"Steven, Sir."
"Uh-yes. Steven. Would you take care ofSteven-ah? Oh and whilst you're at it, tell the boys if they don't wan't toface the same fate as good oldSteven-ahhere, they better Shouldn't. Touch.MY. Things-ah!"
"Yes, sir." And with that Logan drags Steven out of the room leaving me and Joker alone once again. As Joker starts to approach me I back myself up against the wall. Being only left in my shorts and a ripped up tanktop with my bra more then half exposed I can't be too sure that Joker won't finish what Steve had planed to start.
I have to bend my neck sligthly to be able to look up at him. My hands instantly shoot up to my chest in a desperate attempt to cover myself enough to not plant any dangerous thoughts in his head. He was crazy, but I just couldn't imagine why he would saved me. Why would he care at all if his man tried to assault me ... unless he wanted to be the first one to do it.
Joker bends down to my level as he kepps looking at my face. In fact, he hasn't once looked anywhere else but my face. "Don't worry, I don'tplaytherape-game-ah." And with that he stands back up to his full hight as he starts to walk back to the door. Turning around he pats his leg, gesturing me to follow him outside.
Not sure if it's the best idea to listen to a mass murdering clown, but on the other hand I really don't want to stay any longer in this dark room, so against my better judgment I quicky scramble back to my feet and once outside of the room, I have to squirnt my eyes shut due to the fact that the hallway is so much brigther.
In front of us is a long corridor with two staircases. One goes down and the other goes up to another floor. To my surprise, it is relatively clean. I had rather expected spiderwebs to hang down everywhere and the walls to be full of mold.
Quietly I follow behind Joker as we reach another room. He opens it and steps inside and'WOW'standing inside Jokers room I am taken a back. It is a nice room. A little chaotic, but fitting for a man like him. It looks almost comfy. There was a kingsize bed, a table with a bunch of papers on it, next to a large closet.
Standing near the door my eyes never leaving Joker as he walks further into the room opening another door. His bathroom. Turning toward me he says; "You have 15 minutes." I quickly nod my head yes, telling him that I understand.
He pulls a chair towards the door facing the bathroom. Is he going to watch me take a shower? But one look at him and I realize that he will not be negotiated with. Sighning in defead I turn around so that my back is facing him as I start to take off my teared up tanktop. More thankfull then never to have my long hair cover my back completley. Next are the shorts leaving me in my underware infront of a complete stranger. I turn my head around to face the Joker who's still sitting in his chair, but what makes me a little relieved is that he makes no attempt to assault me right away. Which still didn't change the fact that I didn't want to undress in front of a complete stranger, a psychopathic mass murderer! No man had ever seen me naked before and I had no intention of changing that now, but what other option did I have?
Turning my head away from him, hestitantly I reach to turn the shower on and step inside refusing to take off by bra and panties with him sitting there!
In a desperate attempt to block everything out, I start humming to myself and hope that he can't hear it through the splash of water. I've never really sung in front of anyone before and I probably won't dare to. The few times my family had heard me I was ridiculed and humiliated and I certainly didn't need joker to make fun of me for it now.
Turning the water off I step out of the shower just to discover much to my surprise that Joker wasn't sitting by the door anymore. Grabbing the first towel insight I wrap it around my body and step out of the bathroom into Jokers bedroom.
It's also empty, but there are clothes laid out on the bed. On a closer look I realize that those clothes were mine. How did Joker manage to get my stuff? If he went to the length of also taking my things, does that mean he intends to keep me as his prisoner for longer?
'But why, what does he want from me?'
I start to get dressed. Putting a fresh set of underware on followed by light blue jeans and a dark red shirt that is a little to big on me. Just as I pull the shirt over my stomach, the door opens and Joker steps inside and it is only now that he's standing right in front of me, or should I better say towering over me that I finally realize just how tall he really is!
I mean, I know that with my barely 5 feet I was pretty short, even for a women, but looking up at Joker he surley must be his 6,6 feet.
He doesn't say anything, just pats his right leg gesturing me to follow him. It was annoying how he treated me like I was nothing more then a puppet to him, but since he's keeping somewhat of a distance between us I don't dare to disobey just yet as I follow quietly behind him.
Walking down the stairs we reach what seems to be the living room. A few man are sitting on the couch watching TV as others are just causualy walking around, but as soon as the henchmen notice the presence of Joker they all get up and leave the room and just I can't help but be amazed at how much power a single man can have over so many people.
'How one man can be so feared?'
Turning around to the dining room I notice one goon hasn't left the is significantly smaller than Joker and a little greasy. Judging by his face, he looks like he could be in his late 30s.
Not even looking at me he just pulls the chair out gesturing for me to sit down. Obeying I let myself sink into the chair as the Joker takes a seat on the opposide side of the table. The older man comes over to us and sets a McDonalds bag in front of me. The smell immediately hits my nostrils as my mouth starts to water up. I don't know how long i've been in captivity here, but it must be more then just one day.
A Quater Pounder, Fries and a Coke.
I can't even recall the last time that I had McDonald's since my parents were always controlling what I was eating.
Looking between the food and the Joker not sure if I'm allowed to eat or if this is just another one of his sick games. His eyes never leaving mine he just nods his head sligthly and I immediatley start to dig in, in fear of him changing his mind.
Never in my entire life have I ever devoured food so mother surley would turn in her grave, if she was to withness this. My hand reaches to the cup to take my frist sip, but Joker is standing infront fo me, ripping it away from me. He lures over me, his look intensifing. Daring to look into the Abyss he calls eyes; "Tha ... Thank you, Sir."
A long moment passes before he hands me the drink back. "That's-ahgood girl. Ari-ah" Just as I finished almost half of it in one gulp he leans to my ear. "Remember good girls get rewards, but badgirls-ahgetpunished." A sick grin spreads around his face sending shivers down my spine.
After I was finally allowed to eat my first meal after what I assume was days in captivity, the Joker disappeared without saying another word. Where to I didn't know and I realized it was better not to ask any questions. To my surprise, he didn't lock me up in that dark room again. No, instead he left me in the kitchen where I was joined by the same man Joker had ordered to dispose of Steven's body.
"You don't need to be scared, Aria" I slowly turn my head in the direction that the voice is coming from. His brown hair is slightly curled upwards. His strong jawline sticks out from his face and his green eyes that sparkle nothing but honesty.
I just nod briefly, not sure if this is just another trick from the Joker. So far I've remained fairly intact and I'd prefer it to stay that way.
"I'm Logan." He offers me his hand and I look at him hesitantly before deciding to shake his hand. "And like I said I won't hurt you!" He looks at me intensely as if he's making me a promise.
"Why not?" I whisper. "It's not like Joker or the other Henchmen wouldn't" Logan drops into the chair next to me. "Maybe but I'm not like that. You're innocent and I don't see any need to harm you." Logan pauses for a moment as two more of Joker's men walk through the kitchen. They look at us puzzled for a moment but don't waste a second glance.
"Joker has also made it very clear that no one is allowed to touch you if they want to live to see another day."
"What does he want from me?" The words just burst out of me. I don't know what this Logan guy is up to or if it's another trick or not, but I have to try and get some answers if I want to get out of here alive. "Why am I here? What does Joker plan to do with me?" I almost beg him for answers but Logan just shakes his head.
"I don't know, Aria. The Joker has no plan. He just does what he wants, when he wants. Most of us didn't even know, that he broke into Bruce Wayne's manor. All of a sudden he came back carrying you over his shoulder."
'Was I really just in Joker's way?'
I still didn't know if Alfred had somehow managed to survive, but even if Joker didn't want witnesses, why didn't he just kill me? My head is bursting with questions, but the only person who could answer them won't give me enough answers.
"Wait. How do you know my name?" I realize now that I've never told Logan my name, but he just smiles sheepishly.
"You're all over the news," he explains. "So you're related to that Bruce Wayne guy?"
"No. Elena, my sister is his girlfriend. She moved here about two years ago and I live with them." Lived was probably the more appropriate word, but I keep that thought to myself.
"I see, so you moved here with her?" I still didn't understand why Logan was being so friendly and talking to me, but for once I didn't have to worry about any repercoucions if I said the wrong thing.
"No," a giggle escapes me just imagining how my mother would have reacted if Elena and I dared to rebel together. "No. Elena recieved a job offer at Gotham Hospital. As for me, I only came here a week ago."
"Well if you can believe the news, your family and friends are understandably very worried about you."
This time it's not a giggle that escapes me but a real laugh, which seems to surprise Logan. "My parents died in a car accident and as for friends, I never really had any." I explain as briefly as possible. "It's just me and my sister." But I just can't help but notice the sudden sadness in Logan'seyes.
"Well I guess we have more in common than we both originally thought." I look at him, puzzled as he continues on. "My parents are dead too. My father was involved in criminal business and when a drug deal went wrong, he was taken out of the way. My mother was never the same person after that. She turned to alcohol to drown her sorrows and anger in, so I've been on my own since I was 7 years old and when I was 17 my mother got pregnant again. That's why I'm here. After Sara was born we found out that she had an immune disorder, which my mother couldn't cope with and so she took her own life. She hanged herself in front of Sara, who was only one year old. I found her body 2 days later, but luckily Sara was fine, given the circumstances of course and that was the day that I made a promise to her."
He pauses for a moment and I have to stifle the tears that threaten to escape. Although I had only just met Logan, my heart was breaking for him. I could relate all too well to what it's like to be on your own at such a young age. And my heart broke even more for his sister.
"I promised Sara that I would do whatever it took to make sure that she had everything that she needs. Call it coincidence, luck or even fate, but one night I came across Joker and started working for him so I could make sure Sara got the medical help she needed."
It seems that Logan was indeed one of the good guys after all. Of course he was still a criminal, maybe even a murderer, but his motive was pure. It's just like he said, he does whatever it takes to protect his sister.
"But aren't you afraid that Joker could just kill you out of nowhere on any given day? Or your sister?"
"Joker doesn't know anything about Sara, I've made sure of that, and as far as I'm concerned, it's a risk I'm happy to take for my sister."
Why is he opening up to me? Why would he tell me about his sister when he's gone to so much trouble to make sure Joker doesn't know about her, but before I can ask the question, Nik beats me to it.
"You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this and the truth is I don't know myself. You seem like a nice girl and different from the others. You seem ... real and maybe it will help you survive this madness better now that you have a friend."
"Friend?" I ask, puzzled. How could he talk about friendship when I didn't even know if I could trust him, let alone if I would stay alive long enough, but as I look into his eyes I see nothing but sincerity and I was sure that if I really died it wouldn't be at his hands.
"Friends then" I say firmly.