Black Eyes

Chapter 7: A Departing Gift

Tears stung my eyes as a ran. I ran faster then I ever thought I could and if it weren't for the circumstances I'd have been proud of myself. Instead, I let the cold air whip my face as I gained momentum. Everything felt like it was slowing down around me. It was just me running further and further away from the Joker. That was it. Why the hell did I think this was an okay thing to do?

Horror gripped my heart as I felt a strong hand entangle itself in the loose strands of my hair and pull. My head yanked back so hard I thought I felt my brain bang against the inside of my skull. It was then that I pieced together what had really happened, in that my head had made contact with the ground. I was too scared to see if I was bleeding, but I knew better then to think I was okay. I rolled my head to look up at my predator even though I was fully aware of who it was.

Those black eyes looked pitifully down at me. His red scars shamefully tutted in a way I was too far to hear. Well, I thought as tears lightly ran down my cheeks, if I'm gonna die it might as well be epic.

"Now look at that." The Joker spoke, every word stinging my ears like needles digging into my eardrums. "I've gone and um, broken one of my new toys. That's a shame. Aw well, nothing a few stitches can't fix!"

I felt myself begin to fade, the Joker's outline gradually blurring, his voice sounded so distant.

Stitches? Does that mean he didn't want me dead? I felt a light slap on my cheek. "Sleep well, doll face."

The last thing I heard was his shrill laughter echoing throughout my head.

XOXO

I jolted awake in a way I never had before. My body was wet and grimy from sweat and my body felt as if it were overheating. My eyes adjusted to the room around me. White. White everywhere. Dammit I was in a hospital. I hated hospitals. Then it hit me as to why I was here. The Joker had... I lifted my hand to the back of my head and felt gauze covering the spot that had hit the ground. It ached so bad.

I looked around in search of someone who could tell me my condition but there was no one, just me and an empty bed. There was evidence of someone being here because a chair had been pulled up to my bedside. A few red, orange and yellow carnations had been placed in a small vase on the table beside me. I stared at them in shock when suddenly my dad walked into the room. We both looked at each other in surprise for a moment then he spoke.

"You're awake."

"Thank you captain obvious." I winked at him playfully and smiled. I pointed to the flower. "This from you?" He nodded and sat down, hitting the pager to summon a nurse. "How'd you know I liked carnations?"

"I didn't. Your mother loved them though. I thought it would be a nice uplifting touch to this boring, bland hospital room." He took his seat beside me.

"Thank you." I simply stated, relaxing as the nurse made her appearance.

I was able to go home that night. Luckily the damage wasn't serious enough to be a concussion, but the nurse said that if it was any harder of an impact that would've been the case. Again I had to lie. Not only to my dad this time, but to the doctor as well. I decided since I said I was out walking the last time, I'd use the same lie, saying someone must've attacked me from behind. I promised not to do it again. I claimed I had "learned my lesson'. That meant if I were to have another talk with the Joker, it would have to be a more civilised one. I laughed at the thought. Our chat last night was anything but civilised and I didn't think it was possible for any conversation with the Joker to be civil.

After washing off the dirt from last night I flopped onto my bed and lay there quietly. I didn't know what to do next. What was the Joker going to do to me? The last words he spoke before I passed out... He had some plan for me.  Why did he want me alive? Can I ever just keep my mouth shut?

A thought swept past my mind and I quickly rose from my bed. I made my way to the bag in the corner of my room where dirty clothes from last night lay. I frantically searched every pocket I could find but no Joker card.

A ping of disappointment washed over me and I stopped where I stood. I had to be going crazy if I was actually disappointed that the Joker didn't leave me one of his cards. He bashed my head into the fucking cement last night! Who's to say he didn't try to kill me? He hurt me to say the least and I wanted him to want me?

I caught movement in the bathroom mirror and walked towards​ it, really observing my sunken, hazel eyes and wet brown wavy hair. It hasn't even been a month and I'm already losing it. The way everything played out between the Joker and I... It was hard to believe how easily I could speak to him. I was petrified to even look at the guy or think of him and yet, the words just came out of me like I knew what to say.

I chewed my lip ring in thought when suddenly my phone began to ring. I was surprised it still had battery. I silently jammed out to Melanie Martinez's "Play Date" ringtone before pressing the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi this is Dr. Crane calling for Iris Wayne?"

"This is she!" I sighed a breath of relief as his number had shown up as unknown to my phone. I thought back to when I gave him my number after class a couple days ago.

"Oh good! I'm calling because it just so happens that I have a spot open this weekend if you would still like to interview for the internship program. I was hoping Saturday would work for you."

"That's tomorrow isn't it? Yes absolutely. To be honest I'm surprised you called..."

"Well if we are being honest I don't usually offer on-the-whim internship interviews to students I just met, but there's a first time for everything. We can meet right outside the gates so I can get you in."

"Alright that sounds perfect. Thanks again!"

"No problem. See you tomorrow, Iris." We both hung up. After staring at the wall in front of me for what felt like an eternity, there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?" I couldn't catch a break.

It was Alfred. "Master Wayne wanted me to tell you that he is hosting a fundraiser for Harvey Dent tomorrow night. He was wondering if you'd like to join him."

"He wants me to go to a fundraiser?" I was slightly puzzled at why he would want me there.

"Not just any fundraiser. You are going to school for Criminal Psychology are you not? Harvey Dent has had more then his fair share with criminals. If you can get your foot in the door with him then..." Alfred trailed off, raising an eyebrow. I burst out in a fit of laughter at the sneaky look on his face.

"Even if I wanted to go I don't have a dress."

Alfred pulled out a lovely grey and purple fitted dress from behind him. "I think this would do nicely."