Disturbed

Chapter 3. Locked Doors & Lunatics

After delivering the message yesterday, Penguin had been very happy with me. He promised to pay me by the end of the week, and even mentioned something about a promotion. To what I could be promoted to I wasn't sure. But either way, I needed the money. Speaking of which I had been a little disappointed that Penguin couldn't pay up right away. Supplies were running real low and I needed to get some more stuff soon. Usually when things got this bad I would just resort to pocket picking, but that usually didn't get me much. And I wasn't the only one in need of some food. A little boy around ten years old named Jasper had been introduced to me about a year ago by Ivy.

He was so young to be out here, and so I always sorta had a soft spot for him. He came by now and then and I would always try to help him out in anyway that I could. But Jasper ran up to me late last night because he hadn't eaten in a day or two. And I still can't believe I couldn't find anything to give him. I managed to snatch a lunch bag off of some guy walking to work this morning. So Jasper and I split the man's sandwich and apple slices. Jasper had golden hair so filthy he could pass for a brunette, but his little green eyes were bright as emeralds. I enjoyed seeing them light up when I came back with something for him.

But even that wasn't much. So, that's why I decided to make another run up to Arkham today. I grabbed a backpack and decided to try and fill it with rations to last until Penguin paid up. Jasper was waiting behind in my shabby little room, I told him Selina would be coming by later that day anyway. So if all else failed, she could probably swipe him something. After all, Selina was the best thief out of all of us. If anyone could steal something worth taking it would be her. But until then I set off for Arkham.

Today wasn't quite as lucky as yesterday. No trucks went far enough East to take me all the way to Arkham so I ended up traveling most of the way by foot. The walk only made me more hungry though, so I couldn't have more delighted to finally reach my destination. I tried to make my brisk, anticipating walk look more relaxed as I sped my way to the cafeteria. It was around noon, so the room was pretty full. This was good for me though, it was easier to blend in with the crowd. I followed a family of three to the counters of food and crunched on chips as I slipped apples, rolls, granola bars and the weird little bags of pretzels the Asylum always had into my bag.

I pushed my hair out of my face and was just beginning to put my backpack on when I noticed something. A guard across the room was looking at me funny. Not good. Nope. Get out of there, like now. I flipped right around and headed for the exit. I glanced behind me and-yikes he really was following me. 

"Hey!" He called out as I practically ran the last few feet out the door. "You! Stop!" I heard his shouts behind me as I took off at full speed down the hall. He must have recognized me from stealing food before or something. I didn't think anyone ever noticed me!

My eyes scanned my surroundings as I ran, searching for an escape. Or at the very least a place to hide. I spotted a storage closet and yanked the door open and slammed it behind me. My breathing was heavy and labored as I stood catching my breath behind the door. Then I turned around to look at my surroundings. I appeared to be standing in the place where they stored the inmates uniforms. I glanced unimpressed at the black and white striped prison dresses they had for girls. Normally free clothes were a blessing, but even if it didn't scream "criminal" I wouldn't want to be caught dead in those stripes. More footsteps pounded down the hall outside the door and I bit my lip. It sounded like they were still looking for me. Then suddenly I had an idea!

I stepped out of the closet fully clothed in Arkham's women's uniform, and no shoes. My clothes were in my bag along with the food which I had hidden in the closet somewhere safe. My plan was simple-blend in until they stop looking. Then I could go back and retrieve the bag and get the hell out of there. The only problem was that I forgot that an inmate wandering the halls was just as suspicious as a thief walking around with stolen food. So when a nurse came around the corner she began scolding me for "walking amuck the building." Then as I protested she dragged me by the arm back to the recreation room. I whipped around as soon as she left to try the door but of course it didn't open. The doors were locked if you tried to open them from the inside- you know, to keep inmates locked up of course.

And now I had another problem, I was locked in a room full of murderous lunatics, how fun. I breathed a silent sigh of relief when no one noticed my entrance. There was a security guard on duty, sitting behind a glass window outside of the rec. room. But he was too busy listening to his head phones and picking at his nails or something and wasn't paying attention in the slightest as I was thrown in. The concrete floor felt cool and solid beneath my bare feet, and the dress was actually not as bad as I had expected it to be. It was oddly comfortable, and easy to move around in. But I still missed my jacket, I felt strange without it.

The room was filled with tables and chairs with inmates sitting around talking. I stood in the corner, trying not to catch anyones attention and so far it seemed to be working. I just had to sit this out long enough to explain to someone that I was NOT a patient. No one noticed as I silently crept to the other side of the room to the wall beneath the guards window. The problem was that they had put the watch window about six feet up on the wall in order to give the guard a better view. But being 5'2" I was unable to catch his attention while waving my arms high over my head. I didn't dare yell, for risk of drawing attention. But even if I did he wouldn't hear over his headphones.

I gave a defeated sigh and slid down the wall to sit on the floor with a scowl. It was right then that I realize my entrance hadn't gone completely unnoticed. There. Sitting at a table across the room there was a familiar pair of eyes staring back into my own. I immediately recognized his flaming red hair and mischievous smile. Jerome had been watching me in amusement the whole time. And now that I had given up he slowly rose from his seat. I groaned and lay my face in my hands as he walked in my direction. Even just having met him once, I already knew that this kid was trouble with a capital T, and I didn't want ANY part of it. No thank you.