A Joke By Any Other Name - L. D. Manning (books suggested by elon musk .TXT) 📗

Codependence

 

Chapter Ten

Codependence

 

 

So I helped him, I made myself useful in ways he hadn't even thought of.

Anything to stay alive. And it worked well he even congratulating me in front of his men.

“Good job.” He had said, kissing me on the forehead. “It's almost time men look alive. Hahaha.” I Watched him and his men walk out the room.

I let out a harsh breath.

Just a little longer, I just have to hold on a bet longer. Then batman would be here. Then I would never have to see them again.

See him again. . .

(You can't run from me.) His voice hammered at the back of my head.

I'll be safe. . .

(I'll always find you.) I shook my head, no. . . no, no, no.

I'll be safe. . . I'll make sure of it.

As I gathered up the blueprints for the building. The sound of the door conference room opening froze me as I looked back at one of the Joker's henchmen. I didn't know his names, mostly because I tried not to know any of their names.

Smiling lightly at him, I continued to fold the blueprints. “Just putting this away. Don't want batman finding it.”

He didn't say anything, just shut the door behind him.

My body was shaking now, the vivid memory of being choked to death bringing me to tears. As he surrounded me.

Before I could speak again a big beefy hand smashed itself in to my belly, knocking me on to my knees.

“You've outlived your usefulness.” It was said with such coldness and malus's, that I had to wonder. Was the Joker's man doing this, of his own accord or was it an order.

Why, why was he doing this, I went above and beyond for him...why

Tears fell down my face, as I tried to crawl away. A sharp pain tugger at my hair, making me realize just how gental the joker had been with me. As I was kicked over and over again in the stomach.

I throw up all over his shoes, as he let me fall face first into my own vomit.

“Please…” I coughed, “please don't do this.” I was flipped on to my back.

The man with the cold brown eyes stepped over me, his hands reaching for the gun he kept in his back.

Unable to move my head any longer I let my head fell to the side, and there standing by the door was the Joker.

I couldn't see his face. . . not through the tears. My hands reached out to him, With the voice I no longer had. I plead with him to let me live.    The gun cocked as his henchmen pointed it at me.

“Anything . . . I'll do anything for you, please . . .” I couldn't complete it. Even as I watch him move closer.

There was a gunshot. . . but it wasn't me who fell. Only the man who had been ready to kill me laid on the ground. His gun hitting my knee.

Take it, take it, TAKE IT.

I looked up as I slowly got to my knees.

Standing their with his own gun now down. The Joker smiled at me, a smile that knew what I had been thinking and yet found joy and amusement in it.

Putting his gun into his hoster, the Joker put his hands in front of him. Motioning for me to pick the gun up.

Take it, take it, take it.

I picked the gun up, slowly. Realizing fully what I could do.

“Come on . . . do it. . .kill me.” My eyes shot to his at his words dawn on me. “All it would take is two or three shots, right here.” He tapped his forehead, as he slowly got to his knee.

“You all ready got the blueprints and the keys.” He said reaching into his pocket, to let them dangle from his fingertips. “You already know where my men or stationed, all you have to do is kill me. And you can be free as a bird.”

He was right.

All I had to do was kill him.

And yet. . .

“Your so full of shit.” I said pointing the gun at him. You don't want to die by me, that not the death you crave.”

“No it has to be by him . . .” I said nodding my head to the spray painted bat symbol on the wall. You want batman to kill you, it's the only way you life will have meaning in your eyes.”

He laughed, big cheeks and squinted eyes, it was deep and real. One that made him hold his stomach, but as he leaned forward, his hand shot out and snapped the gun from my hands.

“You see that's why I like you. You see through my bull shit.” He said getting to his feet quickly.

Popping out the bullits the joker throw the gun to the side. “Sadly me liking you is the reason why assholes like this.” The joker said kicking the dead body. “ Want to kill you now.”

It wasn't him, he didn't want me dead. I thought with a slow exhale of relief.

Fighting through my pain, I crawled closer to him and took his leg in my hands. “I'll be useful, I promise I'll be useful to you in every way. Just please don't throw me away.”

Like my mother, like my father.

Like Harris

 

“God why won't you just go fucking die. I'm in love with my wife. I will never marry to you. I will never leave my kids for you. So stop following me and Stop texting. I don't want you.” His face had been red when he'd yelled these things at me.

Which meant he had a temperament, and as his future wife I had to learn how to deal with it.

His old wife would never do that for him.

If anything she was putting these thoughts in to his head.

Yes it was her. Her fault . . .

Harris wife didn't have a pretty face. Not like my face, she had gotten fat and lazy, not like me. . . for him I would look any way I would do anything. He just needed help seeing it.

I remember smiling to myself. Knowing that if I made her crazy, then it would drive him in to my arms.

But that isn't what happened.

No when he saw every part of me. Every fucked up part of me. Had driven him to abandoned me.

 

“Their trying to keep us apart.” It was all so clear now.

Didn't he see, I looked up at him, the Joker's face one of confusion.  “Hahaha, it's so clear now, every time I find happiness, someone tries to take it away.” tears were falling from my face now.

“Throw you away.” The Joker said picking me up so I was on my feet. “Why would I throw away the best toy a boy could ask for.” He said walking me to a room far back into the back building. Setting me down on a bed in one of the padded rooms, the Joker kissed the top of my head.

Then he laid me down softly and covered me up.

I locked my hands with his before he could get away. “Don't leave, stay with me.” I said taking his face so I could kiss him. Before our lips could touch, the joker pushed me away.

His teeth clenched. “I'm no rapist.” He hissed in my face.

Unlocking our hands the Joker walked to the door and stopped. “Butch will be guarding your door. Now if you don't mind I have a bat to kill.”

I watched as he left. The slamming of the door behind him showing just how pissed he was at my actions.

Laying down I looked at the ceiling. My thoughts only on him.

He was right . . .

I had kissed him because I thought it was what he wanted.

But what he wanted was his obsession dead.

 

Freedom

 

Chapter Eleven

Freedom

 

 

I was awaken the next day by policemen, telling me it was ok, that batman had stopped the joker.

“Good thing to, the joker had bombs all over this building.” The officer said putting a jacket over my shoulder.

Unable to balance myself I fell against the officer. “What . . . he was going to . . .to.”

“Well, actually you were lucky to be far enough that you wouldn't have exploded. Maybe trapped-.”

He wasn't trying to kill me. . . he wasn't trying to kill me.

He saved me, he cared for me.

“Ma'am, excuse me Ma'am.” blinking I looked over at an older gentlemen with white hair and a tired face. He reached his hand out to me. “I'm commissioner Gordon.” I looked down at his hand for far too long before taking it. “Harleen, Harleen Quinzel.”

“Nice to meet you. We are hoping you will go on trial to put the joker away.”

“Put him away. . .”

“Yes, miss Quinzel, for good.”

For good. . . I laughed . . . I laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed. Until I faint from lack of oxygen.  

When I finally got home from the hospital. I took a bath, and made myself a meal. As I walked into the dinning room but found myself frozen at what I found on the dining room table.

“I will always find find you.”

Laying on my dining room table was a red rose. I dropped my plate and walked closer. I noticed that the rose sat on top of a letter.

I picked it up with shaky hands and began to read the letter . . .again and again and again. Until I knew it by heart

I didn't eat that night or the night after that.

No there was to much to be done.

I had to clean off the pictures of Harris I kept on my bed room wall.

I had to let him go. . . he was dead and I wasn't. I had to except that.

“I'm so sorry.” I said I don't want to be without him, but I had to move on.

Besides it wouldn't be Fair.

Not to myself or my new relationship.

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Epilogue

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“Dr. Quinzel, would you state for the record, the name of the man that held you and