Black Eyes

Chapter 4: Blabber Mouth

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen!" The Joker flashed his yellow teeth as he slowly walked down the aisle, coming to a terrified teenager in a black hoodie sitting near the front. "I am taking this whole bus hostage and maybe if you're all really good you can participate in the, um, little game I have planned for tonight." The Joker tossed his gun to the man behind him who wore a clown mask. I noticed the driver seat was empty. This masked clown was the driver of the bus this whole time. How didn't I notice? Suddenly he pointed the gun at the boy and shot him dead. Everyone on the bus let out surprised squeaks. I heard a woman behind me burst out in sobs. "And anyone who gets in the way will end up looking like him!"

I took deep breaths to calm myself. Freaking out wouldn't help anyone, especially me, and I definitely did not want to end up like that guy.

"So tell me, Doc, what goes on in my wacky little head?" When I realised the Joker was talking to me my heart began to pound wildly in my chest. Fuck, was this the guy I had been talking to outside?!

"Whoa there, I'm a student. Not a doctor and hardly a professional-" I spurted out with even thinking. Damn my instinct to talk back. I had to learn to keep my fat mouth shut if I wanted to live.

"You said it yourself you were good." The Joker waved his hand, signaling me to move over. I quickly complied, relieved that he didn't take my sassy remark personally. He plopped right next to me and put his arm over the back of my seat. I silently gulped. I thanked the Lord that the Joker was hardly familiar to me. If I knew the things he was capable of, I'd probably be a bigger mess then I was now. Still though, a criminal is a criminal and no matter what I did in this moment his motives would be the same.

"So, what's your analysis upon seeing me in action? Do I seem crazy to you?" He leaned in and whispered into my ear, "Am I a freak?" His breath smelled of mint and alcohol.

I scrunched up my nose, not sure if I enjoyed the scent. "I don't like that term. I don't think there is such a thing." I barely let out.

He laughed loudly and slapped his knee. "Do you want to know how I got these scars? Look at me."

I sighed again (which I had just then realised I do a lot of) and sat up straight, looking him dead in the eye.

This is what I'm going to school for. I assured myself. Think of this as a test. You will be surrounded by people just like him when you go to Arkham or rather, if I go... Right now I had to ensure survival, and that meant playing his game. This guy called himself The Joker, so I assumed he liked humour, particularly dark humour.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and finally spoke. "I think everyone in Gotham is dying to know the answer to that question." I looked around the bus at our predicament. "And in some cases, like his-" I nodded my head towards the dead hooded teen that had been shot earlier. "-there are people quite literally dying to know."

The Joker looked at me in a way which I was unsure of. I did not know in that moment if I was going to die or live and it terrified me. I jumped slightly when he burst into a fit of laughter while rising from his seat.

He clapped a couple times before speaking. "I want to thank you all for coming out tonight! I'm sure you're wondering what the hell I plan on doing with all of you?" When there was no response he motioned his henchman in the mask to step forward. The Joker bit the inside of his cheeks impatiently as multiple people let out some sobs and nodded their heads, knowing what he would do if they didn't comply. "While Iris here seems to be the only one who can amuse me, she has the privilege to be my one and only.. eh, what do they call therapists these days? Let's just go with my Miss Talks-a-Lot. Oh, and uh, I've changed my plan so the rest of you losers have to exit the bus as soon as possible so-" The bus jolted to life and raced down the road, accelerating faster and faster. "The sooner you jump, the better chance you have to live so I'd make it snappy." Everyone bolted to the emergency exit when the Joker waved his gun around in intimidation.

I closed my eyes and waited for it all to be over. I opened my eyes when the door behind me slammed shut. I looked around to see the bus was empty, except for the Joker in the back and his goon driving in the front.

"Ah ah no peeking!" I covered my eyes as I was told. I did not want to chance being thrown out the door too. "I'll just give you this-" I felt something being stuffed into my jacket pocket but dared not look. "You really put on quite the display, um, doll face. With guts like yours how about putting them to good use? You can take a peek in your pocket when you get home. For now, you're gonna have to find another ride cause this bus is no longer in service." He let out a loud, high pitched laugh.

My hands fell into my lap as my eyes drifted to the window. I had no idea where we were. I was grabbed by my arm roughly when I showed no sign of getting up myself and dragged to the bus door.

I waved miserably as the bus took off down the street and sighed. Looks like I would have to dial the last person I wanted to talk to: my dad.