Saved by Insanity

The Back Story.

Everyone in Gotham City knew The Joker and his lovely girlfriend Harley Quinn. They took care of things in their own... special way. They fueled gangs, underground clubs, drugs, and everything crime-related in their town.  They reveled in the chaos that had become Gotham City.

It was right before they reached the peak of their wealth and trouble that they were given an anonymous offer from out of town. They find a girl around the age of ten with a special lineage and return her safely to the specified place, and they would be rewarded with millions.  Neither of them really understood who this girl was, but they broke down a few places to get to their records, broke a few people along the way, and they found her.  A ten-year-old girl thrown into the foster system with no friends and one worn-down hoodie she wore every day. 

They watched her for a month or so when Harley got curious and dug deeper into this girl's parents.  It was then that they realized what they were in for.

"Joker, baby?" Harley worriedly asked as she read the papers in her hands," this isn't just some girl from another gang... " She scanned the papers deeper, "this is much much more than that." 

The joker sat lazily on the edge of the elementary school roof, one leg swinging back and forth over the ledge.  He watched the school doors like a hawk waiting for its prey.  This girl had 10 more minutes before school was over and she rode the same bus home that she did every day.  It was June and the last day of school, the sun beat down on the two pasty villains, but it didn't seem to bother either of them.

"She's a--" Joker's hand shot up in the air, cutting Harley off. His eyes didn't leave the entrance to the school.

"I know what she is, or better yet who..." He lowered his hand, letting it stretch over his face to show the tattoo of a smile," the real question is if this hidden gem is worth handing over..."

"Well," Harley knelt down behind the Joker, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and peering over his head," what would we do with her if we kept her? A pet could be nice, but that almost seems..."

"Wasteful." Joker finished, and Harley giggled.  The school bell rang, and kids started pouring out of the school and into cars and busses all around. A small body wearing a navvy blue hoodie and maroon-brown backpack came out of the school last, slowly getting on the bus like she didn't want to leave as much as the other kids.

"She acts like she's broken..." Harley whispered to herself, and Joker moved his hand to smile for real, his silver teeth glistening in the sun.

"Those kind are the easiest to make surrender."

-------------------------------------------------------

Riley hopped off the bus as if she was happy, and waved to the bus driver before walking down the street and waiting for him to drive away before putting her hoodie down and rubbing her sore neck. Bruises decorated her neck in the shape of a hand. She winced at the rubbing but knew it would make it feel less painful when she was home later and Dwayne got drunk. She rolled up her sleeves to try and make the heat escape, revealing more bruises around her wrists. Her foster parents made her wear the hoodie to school every day with the same threat. If anyone sees these bruises or finds out what happens in our house, you'll be punished more severely than ever before. Riley listened.  She let them hit her, hurt her, and use her for errands or drugs because she knew fighting would only make it worse.  They were much much bigger than her, and a fight with 2 on 1 was never fair. So she wore the hoodie, endured the heat, and succumbed to the abuse.

She wasn't like normal kids.  Normal kids wanted to play and have fun.  Riley just wanted a day where she didn't have to dress her own wounds in the solitude of her closet. Riley had odd composure in stressful situations while other kids still cried and threw tantrums.  Riley had evolved beyond her years, and learned self-control beyond herself. She simply would close her eyes and picture her home far away from the city, on an island hidden from those who would hurt her, with a mother who protected her and loved her instead of feeding her to the wolves. She pictured clear ocean water to play in, trees to climb, and kids to play with her. She hoped that she could maybe even learn how to better fend against people who would want to hurt her. This was what kept Riley from realizing the full reality of what was happening to her.  Ignorance, what a sweet bliss.

Riley went home that day ready to stay home for the next few months until school started again.  Ready to rip a hole in her bed frame to hide from Dwayne, and become a playtoy for his wife, Lucinda. Just like every summer for the last 3 years since she had been placed there.

Riley did not go home that day prepared to see Dwayne lying on the kitchen floor, a hole in his head and blood pooled around his face frozen in shock.  She did not think she'd see the day that Lucinda looked truly afraid as her face also sat frozen in fear with a bullet hole at the center of her forehead, her body slumped in Dwayne's beer-stained sofa-chair. She wanted to cry, wanted to feel some sort of remorse or compassion.  All she felt was sick, and she actually puked as soon as she saw them. The sudden relief and shock were too much for her little body.

"Oh, sweetie," a high-pitched voice sang from the kitchen, and the sound of heels clicked on the linoleum as she entered the living room where Riley knelt with the door wide open. This woman was ghastly pale with white hair and messy makeup of two different colors that looked like Riley had painted it on herself, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it." The wild-eyed woman knelt down in Riley's puke, leaning forward to embrace her.

"After all now, Riley," a man's voice spoke from behind her, "we're about to become your new family." Then a simple prick in her neck had blackness greeting her vision like the gatekeeper to a new life.