Haly's Circus ~ Jerome x reader

22: Xander Wilde

As I run through the streets, jump between people and over rubbish, I notice how thin I have become. The last few months I've only been able to get food from Arkham and I can tell you they don't have a good cook there. I usually flushed the filthy soups and red meat down the toilet when no one was paying attention. Occasionally Barbara came by with some food after school and then often it was a bag of chips, for which I was already very grateful. But she came less and less and eventually I think my father told her lies about me and that's why she stopped visiting me.

It is very cold but with the speed I have I keep myself warm. If all goes well, the restaurant should still be open. The lights are still on.

I am so stupid. That man knows long ago that I broke out of Arkham. I have to be quick, but I have no weapons. Problem for later. The door opens with a clang.
"We are closed, come back tomorrow." Someone shouts from behind the wall of the counter. Stoop? Attack? Act?
"I'm not here to eat." Is he alone? Because then I won't leave here without eating...
A broad man with a hat, beard and mustache sticks his head around the corner of the wall and comes to stand in front of the counter.

He doesn't look like Jerome at all, except for the hair color.

"What do we have here? Little miss Gordon or should I say, Valeska...?" He has something in his hands that he fidgets with, but I can't quite see what it is. I have nothing.
"I'm not looking for trouble." That was a lie. "I only need some information, truly." I come closer to him and realize that this man weighs four times my weight and is also four times my height.
"You must be really stupid if you think th-"

Images flash through my head, how this man abused Jerome as a little boy, grabs him by the head and how he puts his little hand in a boiling soup and Jerome screams, no he cries for help but now his arm is also halfway in it and who is laughing? Zachary Tumble. His very own uncle who now as a secret ingredient has not only put Jerome's hand in it but his tears more than any other ingredient.

A beep. No, not here, don't have a panic attack now please. The attacks have started since I lost Jerome. First the voices slowly start to get softer, until all I hear is a beep, which leads to no sight anymore and eventually everything goes black everything goes black. Not now.

"Let me finish!" I scream. Stay here, y/n.
"Where's Jeremiah. Where can I find him. Then again I promise you I don't want to hurt him. My only real goal is to find Jerome's diary."

Jerome screams. He still seems so young, about eight years old or maybe even younger when he falls unconscious from the pain and is left next to the sweltering pan.

Everything is suddenly moving so fast. Zach turns around and now I see he has a knife in his hand and he's coming around me at a tremendous speed. He smiles. No time to think. He corners me so I slide across the counter but stand on it and jump full on him, feet against his head. The hat slides off his head with a rush and I have to laugh. This is what you call revenge. Jerome would be proud of me.

Jerome.

This man can't fight, I figured that out soon enough. But I can. Anger takes over my whole body and I'm shaking from head to toe because I'm going to make a choice now. And I pick up the knife Zach dropped to stab it in his knee.
"Aurgh!" He cries out hysterically in pain.
"Tell me where Jeremiah is you know where he is!" And I have to laugh at myself because only now do I realize that this man may not even know where Jeremiah is. But it's my only chance.

"The school is St. Ignatius!" I now hold the knife to his throat and press it with the flat side. "The address is 4444 LakeSide! A-and he doesn't get called Jeremiah, h-he lives under the name of Xander Wilde"

I let happen an akward silence. Then, "Okay!"

I let go of him and walk towards the exit. And then back to him again. I have something to finish.