Short Stories of Any Kind

Terror of the Night: A Batman AU

He was the terror of the streets, one that criminal and innocent run from as soon as they even just see a shadow move. Children know the myth of the terror and his band of young demons. A terrifying true wives tale to keep their children in line, and the devastating remainder of the reality of the myth and a foolish child decides not to listen.

One does not roam the streets of Gotham once the rays of the sun stop shining on the dirty streets. Not even the feared Joker dared to roam the streets once the terror found him once; it is a mistake one only makes once. The foolish clown made it three times and the third barely escaped with his life, and became a changed psychotic. The only one crazy enough to try and stop him, the other one is a coward.

"Come on pudin'! We need to hurry!" A young woman pleas as her lover stands near a dirt broken window with the low hum of a machine getting nearer to the pair.

"In a second Harl, I need to make sure it works. Or old Two-Face became Dead-Face for nothing."

His casual and relaxed demeanor in the face of death sends terrifying chills down the woman's spine. She runs over to him and grabs his gloved hand, futilely tugging on his still body.

"Pudin! We need to leave no- Gah!" She stumbles back into the nearby railing, her cheek stinging from the backhand of the calm man.

"I said I am waiting Harley, you can leave. Ace is waiting for us, but I need to see if it works."

"Mr J..."

"Go!" The Joker screams at Harley and she scampers of quickly, disappearing into the dark tunnel like the rest of his men and daughter did minutes earlier.

"Come on you dark bastard, take the bait." He says to himself, tapping his foot as the little bit of fear creeps up through his chest. He quickly squashes it down with a shake of his head; he is the joker and he doesn't feel fear. Everyone should be afraid of him, not that black bat freak!

"Hahahahahahaha!" The Joker let's out his signature laugh but stops suddenly when he hears multiple chuckles that sends terror into the Clown Prince's heart. It failed, time for Plan B. He thinks with an annoyed hint to his thoughts.

"Your plan was a stupid one Joker, and, you won't escape for a fourth time. I will make sure that doesn't happen." The deep voice echoes from everywhere but the psychotic can not locate where he is, or any of the demon's that follow him.

"Show yourself Bats, you caped coward!" The Joker screams into the now silent room. He spins around fast enough that the end of his dark purple trench coat flies out behind him.

"Did you hear that? He sounds scared! Haha!" A younger voice mocks with a chuckle following behind.

"Is the big scary Joker scared of us? So cute."

"Isn't so crazy any more is he? That brain of his must've gotten straightened out after last time."

"Pathetic."

Each voice gets younger, ending on the youngest demon of Batman's bunch. The Joker puts his hands in his pockets, staring to let lose his signature cackle.
"Be scared of a Bat and his birds?! Don't make me laugh." He takes exaggerated steps towards the railing, leaning over it and peering into the darkness below.

He hears the faint swish of the cape and doesn't wince when he feels sudden weight pressed against his back; he is in the claws of either a Bat or a Bird now. The crazy man pulls a syringe out of his pocket and his back hits the ground with the terror on top of him. Before the one on top of him can react, he jabs the syringe into a main artery on his thigh.

"If I'm dying tonight! I'm taking one of you with me!" He screams as his face is beaten in.

The man on top of him collapses to the side, Joker laughing maniacally as he stands shakily. Dark red blood with streaks of white runs down his face, showing the scars underneath them.

A large man tackles in as the rest surround the young man convulsing on the ground next him. "Stay conscious Nightwing!" The smallest yells, the other two pulling things out of their utility belts.

Batman ruthlessly beats Joker's face in as the crazy continues to laugh as he is dying with each punch. With a final crack the laughing stops, and the breath of the young Nightwing stops with him.

"He's gone Father," the youngest says solemnly.

The new oldest son spits on the Joker's corpse and the middle one kicks it harshly.

"They will all burn in hell." He picks up his son's body slowly and turns to his remaining sons.

"They all will burn," they repeat coldly.

Haley watches from the dark tunnel with tears silently streaming down her face. Once the terror of the night leave the warehouse she lets out the loud sobs that were caught in her throat.

"Pudin'!" She screams and falls to her knees, the ground slowly being covered in faint wet white paint.
A small arm wraps around the sobbing woman, her own young wails joining in with her mother's.

Now there is no one left to save Gotham from its destruction.