Gotham Gazette // J.V

Chapter 2

My father had a meeting straight after we finished our lunches and I had to get back home so we had said our goodbyes. I still had some of my tea left so at least I had something to keep me occupied, that and trying to open the complicated throat lozenge packet. I said a quick goodbye to the receptionist and continued on my merry way. Another cough shook my body violently and I had to hunch over slightly. I heard a maniacal laugh... Above me? I looked up to see who had laughed at my misfortune, my eyes locked with that asylum escapee.

"Love your hair gorgeous!" He cackled. "Although you might wanna move a little, unless you wanna get smushed anyway." He continued, gesturing with his hands to move to the side. My eyes widened and I immediately ran to the very side of the building as I watched him nonchalantly sat on the ledge of such a high building.

Before I even realised what was happening I saw one of the asylum patients throw someone off the building! Everything happened so fast, the ginger haired psycho was still laughing as if it was something so casual. A hoarse scream escaped my throat but quickly cracked and went silent completely because of my sore throat.

"Awww are you sick? You should really get some medicine for that... You know what they say, laughter is the best medicine!" The maniac cackled from the building and made jazz hands. Tears came to my eyes as I saw the body of an innocent man completely lifeless. I immediately ran over to him and checked for a pulse, stupid I know but you never know.

There was no pulse like I suspected but I noticed a bright red M spray painted messily on the back of what looked to be a straight jacket. "H-he's dea-"

"Dead? Yeah well you'll be heading down that track in a second if you don't move." The ginger yelled again and I quickly scrambled into Gotham Gazette.

"Dad!" I screamed, despite my throat being on fire. It was only seconds before my father came rushing from the elevator.

"Katerina, oh my god are you ok? Are you hurt? What happened?" The questions were asked quicker than the man plummeted to the concrete.

"I-I'm fine but the people t-hat escaped A-Arkham, they are throwing people o-off the building!" I sobbed hysterically into his shoulder and he whispered into my hear.

"Hey it's ok. You're ok, I'm ok but we need to get home as quickly as possible before anyone else gets hurt." He looked me in the eyes and I nodded, not having anything to say about what I had just witnessed.

"O-Ok" I weakly responded and he took my hand, leading me to the back of the building where he had parked his car. We both rushed out of the back exit and I was met with the back of the criminal from earlier. He was talking to someone else and I quickly pushed my dad behind the car before the ginger noticed we were there. I out my finger to my lips to signal my dad to be quiet as I joined him behind the car.

"Did you see that pretty little thing on the sidewalk?" The man with frizzy hair and disgusting looking appearance asked the ginger.

"Oh I saw her all right. Did you hear how her voice cracked when she screamed, HA, it was hilarious. The girl was so sick she couldn't even scream for help!" He cackled and my eyes widened, I looked over to see my father furious. He knew that I was the one they were talking about and he was getting ready to fight them.

Now my father is far from a violent person, he couldn't kill a fly even if he wanted to but the murderous look in his eyes was something I had never seen before. He looked as if he would rip them apart without even thinking twice.

I put my hand on his shoulder and signalled him to stay quiet and not to blow our hiding spot. Who knows what these psychos could do? I mean I just witnessed them throw someone off a damn building for christ sake.