Professor Fear III

Chapter 49

Harley did not wake up warmly snuggled against Ivy.
She woke up in a cold room with not a single plant or speck of green in sight - or speck of much any color other than the dull grey of concrete. Her muscles were stiff . It felt, after doing a bleary-eyed sweep of her surroundings, that she was in a parking lot – supposedly high enough for the air to be clear enough to not incite terror and delusions.

"Harls! My darling, you're awake!" Joker burst out of the shadows and presented himself to her. She would have guessed as much was afoot if she hadn't been so groggy and sleepy.

"Did you have a fun few days away from your Joker?"
She did not answer at first – still waking up as much as she was confused. A dirty white gloved hand snatched her chin, pulling her up to look at deranged hazel eyes. His makeup was wiping off and his natural skin tone showed through in the T zone of his face. He smelled of something Harley was unused to; Perhaps a side effect of the fear toxin.
"Yes," she whispered back. She wondered how much of her makeup was rubbed off by lines of sweat and the dirt of the city.

She remembered that had all been washed off by her few hours of fun in the jacuzzi with Ivy and Daria.
Oh no! I must look so boring right now. She frowned at the floor which taunted her with its tire marks and grit. And so much for that freshly washed skin feel.
She began to think about that and what her next makeup and fashion look was to be. Joker could see that she was off on a different topic inside her head. He ran a hand through her hair, catching and yanking softly on it when snagged on a knotted clump of hair.
Ugh hair! I brushed the damn stuff yesterday! She looked over to where his hand rested now. I gotta re-dye it, maybe I'll do that today - whatever time or day it is. 

"That's great sugar!" Joker pulled her back to the conversation. She reminded herself of what his question was after being perplexed that he could read her mind about her hair. "but, now, it's my turn! Let's go have fun. The city awaits!" 

He leapt onto her, planting a multitude of kisses on her face. Harley's dis-ease melted into fits of laughter and tucking into a ball to protect herself from Joker's tickling hands. She could feel the rough floor rubbing and bruising her back but it hardly phased her in that moment.

"Now, Harley, I have a gift for you, shut those pretty eyes just a moment"

He stepped back, walking backwards whilst still smiling at her the whole time. He then turned to a bag that guarded the door to the stairwell. She shut her eyes.
"Open sesame, Sugar!" She pried open her still sleepy eyes. He held up two gasmasks. One, no doubt meant for her, was delightfully pink and glittery. Harley squealed ecstatically and rushed to take it.

"Oh, Mr J, I love it!" She couldn't wait to show Ivy.

She looked back to him after admiring it, he'd put his own on. A more simple black.

"Shall we?" He extended his hand to her, indicating the door to the stairwell with his other.

In answer, she fiddled the straps of her mask, put it on and took his hand.

Ivy woke up to a note in terrible infantile handwriting in the place of Harley's body. The room, otherwise, seemed completely undisturbed. 

Sharing is Caring! - J

A Joker playing card rested beside the letter.

Ivy sighed, "Well okay then, fine by me if you treat her right you clowny son-of-a-bitch."

Today would be another day of revenge for Mother Nature.

Who would be first?