I'm a Valeska | Jerome Valeska | Gotham

3. "Boom."

Penn

The video goes static, and back to the regular program. The room is completely silent. I can't even hear their breathing. They're all holding it, not knowing how to react. I have a sick grin on my face, revealing in everyone's fear.

That's when all the yelling starts up, everyone pointing at me and making wild gestures, my brother's name surfing through all the frightened chatter. Even Top Dog (the guy never gave me his name) is staring at me, not knowing how to react. Gotham is under siege because of me. All for me.

I calmly and confidently step onto the table I was sitting at, and survey the room. "SILENCE!" The ruckus immediately stops, and all eyes are on me. The girl responsible for Gotham's suffering. The girl with her brother's fearsome legacy. I smile at the cowering inmates before me, knowing that I have all the power.

"Yes, you heard right. Jerome Valeska, my big brother, is alive. My sisters and I resurrected him, in fact. He is alive, and because of my imprisonment, he will stop at nothing until I am released. Until I am free. Jerome carried a legacy of death and madness, and it is clear that it is a legacy I now carry. The Valeska legacy is stained in blood and death, and it will not end."

I walked along the table, my heart beating fast at the thought of my siblings killing millions to avenge me. "I know that because of what my siblings have announced, I am feared. I am Penn Valeska, the reason for Gotham City's suffering. However, there is no need to fear me, fellow inmates of Arkham Asylum. I know that we are all in here because we are what the 'sane' freaks call 'psychotic' and 'mad'. We understand each other. Moreover, I understand you. I understand that those people out there are what my brother called 'tiny little cogs in a giant, absurd machine'. We are free. If you want to stand against these tyrants, you must fight. Do not let them push you down. Once my siblings come to retrieve what is theirs, I can help you all as well. You can join the Valeskas and make the city understand that they need to wake up and be free.

"Let me lead you, and I swear, Gotham will fall and finally realize who is free. Not them. Us." I stopped in the center of the table, watching them all. Watching them all take in my words, my promises, my vision. My vision of blood. My vision of madness running rampant through the streets of Gotham. Like a virus.

One man stands up, looking up at me with a grin. "Let us free those cogs, Penn Valeska." His allegiance is mine. I can see it.

Soon, another stands. Then another. Another. Another. Another. The entire room is pledging themselves to me, even the guards silent as they see the newest inmate take control within a minute.

I hear a voice shout, "Valeska!" And then laughs, and then hoots and hollers. They are cheering for me. They love me. They want me to rule.

"Valeska!"

"Valeska!"

"Valeska!"

Top Dog is yelling at everyone, trying to tell them not to bow down to some bloodthirsty girl, but no one listens. No one bows to him anymore. They bow to me. He is no longer the top. He no longer has control. He no longer runs the joint.

I do.

I begin to giggle as the cheers surround me, turning into a psychotic, evil cackle, ringing throughout the room.

The Valeskas will rise.

June

-

About 43 hours since the "incident", and we're getting ready for the next one. We're each dressed in all black, running in the shadows. It's important that no one sees us- we don't want things to get messy- for now. I look at my watch. We are waiting for the midnight train. 1 hour and 44 minutes left until all the excitement.