Jerome Valeska: Circus Love

Jerome Valeska: Circus Love Chapter 3

Chapter 3- Gotham

Gotham, a sprawling island of depravity and misery, Jerome had always been somewhat of a fan, in one way it made him feel a little better about his own life seeing the depths of suffering in the city and secondly it always meant he got a break from his tiresome mother. Haly's Circus frequented the city annually and always stayed for a number of weeks. The circus had arrived the night before so Jerome knew it would not be long before he saw the back of his mother, he just needed to be patient.

The twins sit at the caravan table, Jeremiah sketching away on a pile of papers; Jerome laid out casually opposite playing with a rusted old Swiss Army Knife with his bandaged hand. Jerome pretends not to watch their mother frantically rushing around the bedroom area at the back of the caravan, she pulls out a large shiny handbag and begins to stuff things in, a shawl, a purse, a pair of underwear. The women is dressed in a tight floor length dress made of a wet look green snake skin, a large split exposes her fishnet clad legs and a plunging neckline shows off her ample cleavage. Her pale skin accentuates dark eyes thickly covered with green sparkly eye shadow and dark liner.

Pulling on a worn yet extravagant green fur coat the good looking brunette approaches the table and speaks directly to Jeremiah.

"I'll be back late sweetheart so don't wait up" Jeremiah flashes a tiny smile and nod of acknowledgement without taking his eyes off his drawing.

"We'll miss ya Lila, play safe with those nasty boys ey." Jerome speaks sarcastically as he flicks the little knife in and out.

Lila stomps over snatching the knife out of his hand "You little shit, how dare you speak to me like that?" Lila's eyes burn into the boys with an unmistakeable hatred, "Why don't you make yourself useful for once and tidy this place up, scrub the toilet, that's all you're good for anyway."

"Oh don't worry Mother, I'm sure I will find some way to amuse myself while you're gone" Jerome naughtily casts his eyes over to his brother licking his lips and blowing him a kiss, Jeremiah shudders with a grimace averting his eyes out the window.

Lila slaps Jerome hard, bringing his gaze back to her sharply, she thrusts the knife towards her son turning it and pressing it against the underside of the boys chin, Jerome moves up a little to avoid being cut but keeps a defiant grin across his face, pleased with his mother's reaction, he looks his angered mother right in the eyes, the blade tip stinging his flesh teasingly.

"You touch him Jerome, and..and I will kill you!" she pushes the blade a little higher forcing up Jerome's chin causing him to sit up even straighter, "Jeremiah told me what you did on his birthday last week, held the cake knife to his throat, how does it feel now it's you Jerome?" She slowly lowers the knife steadying herself, as her breathing slows she tosses the blade onto the table turning to leave.

"Don't you mean OUR birthday Mom? Where was my cake? Knife to the throat hey? That what he told you? Interesting" Jerome's tone is mocking and provoking but fire burns in his eyes as his mother now ignores him.

"I haven't got time for this now Jerome, Uncle Zak will be watching you, just give him an excuse to teach you another lesson, I dare you." The boy's mother pats herself down and fluffs up her dark curls, she catches and strokes Jeremiah's distracted face as she passes him leaving the caravan into the dark of the night without another word.

A few minutes pass and Jerome begins to edge closer to his brother mischievously, Jeremiah pretends not to notice but his discomfort is obvious, each minute flinch an amusement to his chuckling brother. Jeremiah's natural tenseness a striking contrast to his brother's ease, his body language smooth and confident, an unmistakable carelessness conveyed with every move. He finally sidles right up to his brother, Jeremiah pulling back but still trying to focus on his work.