Arkham Days

"Crow. That's a crow."

My eyes took in the world of clouds.

Clouds?

No it's just my ceiling. They painted them with clouds, because I loved to fly.

When had I flown, and with who?

That man with the friendly smile and loving eyes. The man who held me to his chest, and attacked my face with his grey whiskers. I can feel their burn on my cheeks. His voice is scratchy, but it booms like thunder.

How do I know this man?

His callused hands hold me up; keep me flying. They are kind hands, sturdy but gentle, and always careful. His body is worn, but he knows what he's doing. His limbs act uncharacteristically quick sliding from button to button, almost out of habit rather than willful thought. His fingers point to the lever between his knees.

"This makes it go up and down, but these…"

His feet kick towards to shiny pedals on each side of the lever.

"help us turn."

My mouth opens to cry his name, but nothing comes out. I know it, but it's lost. He turns around to look at me and I can feel our bodies falling; spiraling down to the ground. His eyes are so sad. Why is he looking at me with those sad eyes?! I can feel fire beneath my feet. I scream and struggle against restraints I didn't know I had. I can feel the flames licking at my side. I'm going to die!

"What's my name?"


I jolt upright off the floor, my body shaking with anticipation of the fall. My hands frantically scrambled in front of me to brace myself for the fall before realizing I was already lying on the cold floor. It was a dream, just a dream. I pull a hand up to wipe the sweat from my forehead before laying back down.

"Bad dreams?" I groaned and rolled over, away from the Joker's crooning voice. "Your-ah head still hurt?"

What is he talking…ohhhhhhhhhh. As though on cue I could feel a deep throbbing creep up from the back of my head. Testing the sensitivity, I brought my fingers up lightly touching the back of my head. Oh, that was a BIG bump.

"What happened?" My voice croaked out.

"The usuuuuual, or the unusual. Which ever you consider Ol'Scaly. " It was coming back. The Joker had called for the doctor, but before Quinn could be summoned Croc had decided to have another go at the clown. He was successful for the most part he got a few hits in, of course so did the Joker, and as much as I tried to stay out of the rain of fire the chain had other ideas. One wrong turn and Croc's killer tail had caught me in the back of the head, and from what I could guess had knocked me out cold. Judging from the blank sealed walls and the sound of moldy oldies piped in through a speaker in the ceiling, I was in solitary confinement. I rolled over to the small vent in the side of the wall, where I could hear the Joker's steady breathing emitting from.

"I get why you're in here, and I'm pretty sure Croc is somewhere around here." I could hear a snort echo in from the other side of the room. I turned to look at the other vent, guessing Croc was probably on the other side. "Why am I stuck in here though?"

"That would be the clown's doing." Croc's voice boomed through the vent, all the while I could hear the Joker's mad cackling. I rolled back towards the vent, waiting silently for the Joker to give me an explanation. After a moment of silence I extended my foot out, kicking at the vent.

"So why am I in here, clown?" I tried my best to sound as irritated as possible, but that was hard to do with the back of my head feeling like it was trying to pound my eye balls from there socket.

"Oh, I don't know." I could hear him laughing in the other room. I rolled back onto my back. Regardless of what he had said, it was already done and I was here. I laid silently listening to the progressive breathing on both sides of my cell. My eyes stayed unfocused the ceiling becoming nothing, but a dark gray blur.

"Clouds…" That dream, I wonder what it was trying to tell me. What was I supposed to know?

"Dreaming of the sky, Crow?" The Joker's odd pronunciations broke through my train of thought.

"Something like that, Clown."

"Clown? You've gotten ahhhhhlittle to cocky for my tastes." I could hear him smacking his lips. "Perhaps I should teach you some manners?"

I snorted. Him? Teach me manners? If anything it needed to be the opposite way around. At least I didn't go around trying to kill people. I wanted to tell him, but we'll be out of these cells eventually and I didn't want him to have another reason to hurt me. I returned back to my thoughts. Maybe, I had been in here to long. Maybe I would never remember anything, but my life as Crow.

"Worried?" It took me a second to realize that hadn't come from me. I turned towards the Joker's vent, resting my head against my arm.

"What are you a mind reader?"

"And an excellent Magician. Want to see a magic trick?" I could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

"No thanks." I crouched closer to the vent squinting my eyes in a sad attempt to try and see through. For the most part I could see the room was empty like mine, but despite my looking I couldn't see any signs of the Joker. I scooted closer trying to get a better look. Still no signs of me anywhere. Suddenly, his hand was right in front of the vent fingers spreading out across its metal base, obscuring my view.

"No peeking." Ah, he was against the wall. No wonder I couldn't see him. Despite myself I couldn't help, but giggling. I was just to strange, and so out of character, I guess. I slid from the vent turning and crawling towards the opposite vent.

"You know," I started as I headed over to Croc's side, "if these rooms were meant to keep us isolated and alone, they weren't well designed." This elicited a snicker from either sides of the room. I take it both of them agree. I peered through the tiny metal crevice, but I didn't have to search. Croc had done the same as me, and was lying on the floor facing the vent. I could see his lips part into his razor blade smile as I edged closer to the vent.

"I was wondering how long you were gonna flirt with the clown." I narrowed my eyes at Waylon's comment and stuck my tongue out. As weird as this was being trapped between Croc and the Clown, the playful banter was actually quiet pleasant. Strange how you put walls between people, and everyone can pretend to be friends, at least until you are forced back into reality. I wonder if I had been put back here with Croc and Scarecrow before the Joker had arrived if we would have done the same.

"Sorry." I stared over at a slightly abashed Killer Croc.

"For what?"

"Your head." Oh, ya. I guess it wasn't hurting as much anymore. I waved it off.

"Forget about it." I smiled. It's odd how frightening and reassuring Croc's smile could be. We sat in silence staring at past each other for a while, before silence was broken by the sound of a door opening in the other cell.

"The doctor wants to see you." I could hear the footsteps of the guard move to rally Joker from his sitting spot. There was a light commotion, as I'm sure the guard was roughing the clown up, or very possibly vice versa, before the door shut and the room went back silent. I turned back to see Croc had already started drifting off and following his cue I turned and went back to sleep


My feet were aching! I had been running so long. I glanced back, daring a look at my faceless pursuer. I had to keep moving, I didn't know why but that thought enough kept me propelled forward.

"What's your name?"

I stopped, and the world around me blackened. I searched the brackish skies for the voice cracked down around me.

"Can't you remember anything?"

There it was again! I turned around fast making my head spin, I looked down and I could see my feet slipping. I was going to fall!

Hands grasped around me. Pulling me up and holding me steady. They were callused hands, they were his hands! I could hear his breath in my ear, a steady reminder that whatever I had forgotten hadn't forgotten me. I let myself melt against his chest, his body formed around me like a treasured blanket. I wanted to see him! See the face of the man who protected me. I struggled to loosen his grip slightly, and then turned in his arms. I felt my body go stiff. This was not the man I had forgotten. This was someone else….this was a man I knew. The smirk cracked across his lips as his grip hardened around my body, the corners of his mouth wrinkling and tearing at the seams.

"What's wrong Crow?" I struggled against his grip, thrashing to escape. His voice cackled and hissed around me. I felt his hands reach up to clasp my arms shaking me violently.

My eyes shot open, greeted my the face of the Joker. His grip on my arms loosened letting me fall back against the cold floor. I brought my hands up wiping away the moisture I could feel building in the corners of my eyes. I turned to look at the door as the guard pulled it shut. I sat up reaching for the exit, but the clown stopped me.

"Doctor's Orders."

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long. I swear this was the hardest chapter to right. Well, it wasn't so hard once I started with the dream sequence, but I have started this chapter 3 different ways. Anyway, thanks to all of you who reviewed, it means a lot to see people are enjoying reading my story as much as I am enjoying writing it. I didn't get a chance to proof read (sorry) so forgive the typos and terrible phrasing I will proof read later. Reviews are always welcome.

Thank you.