The Skin That Crawls From You [A Jonathan Crane Fan-fiction]

Undeniable.

Dr. Crane is sitting in my room when I jolt awake. I rigorously scan around me, looking for the creature; but it's not here and I'm still in Arkham. I've been hooked up to a pipeline I.V, something clear, a needle taped within my arm.

Crane's eyes are on me, I would call his look expressionless if not for rings of purple beneath his blue eyes; He looks exhausted.

I sit uncomfortably in a chemically induced haze, the smoke lingering- I feel like I should cough but Crane looks like he's about to speak; so I stifle it.

"Fear is primal. Raw."
He says in his matter-of-fact tone.

"Blood pressure increases. Veins in your skin contract. Your immune system shuts down. Even if you attempt to steel against fear,"
He stands up wiping his palms on his slacks, not taking his eyes from me.

" it is undeniable."
He  stands beside my bed, his hands behind his back.

"You did that?"
I squeak, my chest constricts.

"Fear makes us human, Miss Alcott. That was the conclusion of Charles Darwin. Who am I to argue?"

"What- What was that?"

He looks at me devilishly from beneath his thick eye lashes.

"You're a sadist,"
I decide on. My mind moving a hundred miles per hour- not forming a single coherent thought as to the recent events transpiring within my life.

"you want to hurt me!"
I begin to shake again, his presence makes me want to throw up. He stares into me darkly, he's enjoying this.

He flicks his head to the side, furrowing his brows and clicks his tongue in rebuke.

"Why would I want to do that?"

What is this place really.

"I'm innocent!"
I whine.

Perhaps this is some sort of punishment, a medical malpractice of torture and rage; of misplaced justice.

"I didn't kill him,"
Hot tears well in my eyes, my voice cracks and my face burns.

Dr. Crane looks unaffected, only raising his brows, his glasses sliding down his nose. He looks at me from behind them, those arctic blue eyes all too unforgiving.

"Please Doctor, I'm scared"
I admit.

That was what he wanted after all, right? This is either some form of justice, or he's just as twisted as the rest of his patients here at Arkham. This is not something a real doctor would do.

He looks taken aback for a moment, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose; tensing his jaw and standing up. He smells like citrus, and something familiar- that metallic smell of fear. The smoke.

"Miss Alcott, I'm going home, I'll see you in the morning."

I hadn't realized it was night time. Time is false in such a hell.

Doctor crane picks up his case and shuts the door without looking back. He locks it from the outside with a steely clank, and his footsteps fade down the hall.

•

Dr. Crane:
Entry 2 | October 29th | Raven Alcott

I counteracted the serum before I could truly reach her. I'll do better next time, tomorrow. This emotion- this fleeting feeling is weakness. It must be eradicated. I will not endanger my experiments in such a way again. patient pleads innocent to murder charge, court is in three weeks. Three weeks to get inside of her head. Attempted escape today, proved violent as she stabbed me with a syringe of ketamine. She is smart, resourceful, yet weak and malleable. If she truly is who i believe her to be, she will be very useful.
•