Freak is an Ugly Word

Arkham was a horrible place. It had only been an hour since Jessica’s arrival, but she had come to realize that instantly. The people who chose to work there were not the friendliest of sorts. As soon as she had stepped though the door a pair of overly large males had grabbed her and forced her to follow them. She was led into a room that had many showers in it and in there they stripped her of her blood soaked clothes, took her necklace, much to her annoyance, and scrubbed her skin so harshly that she was as red as a lobster after it had been fully boiled. The water they had sprayed her with had been so hot, she felt like she knew just how a lobster felt when it was cooked, being boiled alive.
After finished with cleaning her, they tossed her some clothes. The clothes were not to her liking, but she had little choice in her attire. They were light blue in color, so light they were almost white, and there were no buttons or strings on neither the pants nor shirt. Jessica guessed this was so the patients could not use them as weapons. She had no idea how buttons could be used as such things, but people always find a way.
Once she was fully clothed, minus a bra and underwear because the hospital did not provide that, she was ushered into yet another room. There her head was subdued to force the barbaric attacks of a lice pick. The woman who wielded such a thing would slap her on the back of the head every time that she so much as winced. After it was made apparent that not a single egg holding a louse was in her hair the woman let her go, her scalp now bleeding from where the comb had scratched it.
The two men reappeared and dragged her to what would be her room, which they literally threw her in. After she was in they slammed the door shut behind her and left without so much as a good bye. Jessica was very thankful for their absence. Being left to herself was a blessing. The only good thing she could say about the place was it was a hell of a lot better than prison. Next time that she saw Greg she would have to thank the man. If it were not for him, she would be behind bars with little chance of ever seeing the outside world again.
Now alone, Jessica had time to gaze about her surroundings. The room was white and she was starting to get sick of the color. There were two beds stationed against the walls with thin mattresses and covers. All the walls of the room were padded, but the floor and ceiling were not. A single window sat in between the beds and had thick silver bars blocking it. The only light was fixed on the ceiling and there was no light switch for it in sight. When it was lights out in Arkham, it was lights out.
There was not a single piece of furniture in the room except the beds. Jessica guessed she was going to have to wear the clothes that they had provided her for a long time. It was much to her distaste, but it was something she was going to have to deal with. There was no telling how long she was going to be there. It could be months or even years before they deemed her fit to leave the place.
Several minutes later the door opened and in walked a red headed woman. The only word Jessica could come up with to describe her was gorgeous. Tall and slim with legs that seemed to go on forever. High cheek bones, full pouty lips and eyes so green they appeared more like leaves off a tree. She was a woman that any man would find attractive and it left Jessica feeling very plain next to her. “You must be my new roommate,” the woman stated. Even the sound of her voice sent chills up Jessica’s spine. “My name is Pamela, but everyone calls me Ivy around here.”
“Why?”
“Because of my tattoos,” explained Ivy. She lifted her pants legs up and brandished her marks proudly. Jessica stared at them in wonder. From her legs the ivy that had been permanently etched onto her skin traveled upward all around her body and ended with one piece of the right cheek of her face.
“Wow!” exclaimed the younger woman. “I only have one tattoo and it does not compare to that. Where did you get it done at?”
“Twisted Points, they do amazing work. Had to go back several times to finish all of this.”
“That’s where I got mine!”
“Really? Small world. Who did yours?”
“Don’t know, wasn’t really paying attention. Had other things on my mind at the time.” Which was in fact true, she had been too worried about being hurt to pay attention to anything else. Ivy asked to see it and Jessica refused. “I don’t really like it. It wasn’t my idea; I was forced to get it by someone.”
“A guy?” Jessica nodded. “I can’t believe you let a guy mark you. You should never do that!”
“A frown creased Jessica’s brow. “I have many marks by men and only one of them is a tattoo, I’m not complaining much.”
“Okay. Well, let me show you around,” Ivy offered deciding it best to change the subject. She led Jessica out of the room. “I never did get your name.”
“Jessica.”
While Ivy showed Jessica around they made small talk. It started out as just why they were there; Ivy had anger management issues against men, to the men in their lives. Jessica told her about Greg but decided against telling her about Croc when the woman happened to mention her once involvement with the man. Ivy had been a stripper at Jaded and had met him there. They had been a couple until the day that she landed in Arkham. After killing the man that had hurt Jessica and he ended in there with her he had refused her telling her about Jessica.
“I swear if I ever meet that Princess bitch I’m going to strangle her,” Ivy informed her. It was only more of a deterrent from telling the woman that she was Princess. “I can’t believe he left me for some whore!” Ouch, Jessica felt the sting of that one. “Well, this is the Rec Room. This is where us crazies go and hang out.” Ivy glanced around the room. “Shit!” she muttered under her breath. “He’s here.”
“Who?” inquired Jessica her eyes scanning the room. It was when her eyes landed on a certain slouched figure that Jessica guessed who the woman was referring to. Much to her horror, Joker stood in the center of the room a huge grin on his face as he talked to some men that were sitting at a round table. They seemed to be paying him no mind much to his annoyance.
Glancing up from the men, Joker spotted Jessica. “Princess!” his loud nasally voice reverberated across the room. Ivy stood rigid next to her.
“I’m sorry,” Jessica mumbled under her breath. “I never knew Croc was involved with someone else. No one ever told me about you.” Crossing her arms, Ivy huffed in non-belief.
“Come here!” commanded the man. The room had fallen silent and everyone’s eyes were on her. It was not everyday that Joker found an interest in someone. Mostly he just skipped about and randomly talked to the ones he was next to.
The first lick of anger kindled inside of Jessica. He was doing it again. Treating her like a dog. She was not an animal and would not be treated as such. That was something she was not going to take. Princess might have, but Jessica would not. “Excuse me, I have a clown to go kill,” Jessica told the woman next to her. Ivy saw the little twitch in Jessica’s head and thought it better not to stop her.
Without incident Jessica made it all the way to where Joker was standing. “My pretty, pretty Princess finally made it. I just knew you’d show up.” He squealed with delight clapping his hands together. “Did you miss me?”
The answer he received was not what he expected. With as much strength she could muster Jessica punched the man in the face. It was no easy feat considering the height he had on her. “Now, now, that was not very nice,” Joker chided her fixing his broken nose. “You’re going to make Joker a very angry man.” This was met with another punch to the face. “Really, Princess, you’re starting to really irritate me,” he growled his voice low and dangerous.
“My name is Jessica,” she hissed.
“Hm, Jessica,” he said and seemingly rolled the name on his tongue giving it a taste. After several times repeating the name he gazed back down at her. “I don’t like it. Jessica is not a good name for a pet.” Looking up from the girl and spotting Crane, his eyes lit up in amusement. “Be a good little puppy and stay here.” He skipped away from her and to the man Ivy had decided to sit next to.
At hearing what he referenced her to, Jessica’s anger started to boil over. Witnessing her eyes twitch several times as well as her entire head, the men next to her scooted away in fear they would feel the blunt end of her madness. Being crazy themselves, they recognized crazy and she was it. Going had already gone out the window for she was already gone. Far gone.
No longer able to contain the rage, she let it spill forth. With full force she ran after the man and tackled him from behind. Not expecting the attack, Joker fell with her weight, though it was not much, and fell to the ground barely having enough time to turn his head to the side. “Do you think I will let you call me a dog and let get away with it?” Her voice was hot with anger, but that did little to affect Joker.
“Yeah.”
“You’re wrong. Princess would have, but I’m not Princess anymore. I’m Jessica. Understand?”
“My, my Princess, you should really learn to control your anger. It might get you into trouble.”
With the palm of her hand, Jessica hit the side of Joker’s head. As it bounced off the floor a satisfying crack echoed across the now silent room. A cackle escaped his lips only for Jessica to do it again. One might ask where the guards were while all of this was transpiring. Well, they were all standing idly by taking bets on whether the girl would live out her next few moments or if Joker would kill her. So far, he had never done the former. Jessica was not the first to attack the man and would not be the last, but she would be the first to live. She was just too much fun for him to get rid of now that she had changed.
Several more times his head hit the ceramic tiled floor, several more times the satisfying crack bounced around the room, and Jessica decided she was finished. Tired of that game and ready to move on to something else that did not involve the man beneath her. Getting up she attempted to walk away only to end up flat on her stomach when a strong hand gripped her ankle, completely devouring it. There was no wonder as to who had tripped her. There was only one possible answer and he was clambering on top of her back and sitting on it as she had done to him just seconds ago.
His fingers entangled themselves into Jessica’s hair, and pulled. With him sitting on her butt it forced her to arch her back and rest whatever weight she could on her elbows. Not the most comfortable of positions but one she was going to deal with. She was not about to show the man any weakness and uncomfort was one of them. So, instead she hissed, “Get off of me.” The tone she had intended was commanding but it came out strained and pleading.
“I, uh, I don’t think so.” Pausing to lick his lips he continued, “Pets aren’t supposed to attack their masters. I’m not, ahem, going to let you go until you learn that.”
Her brows furrowed closely together. “Did you really just say ‘ahem’?” Though it made her more uncomfortable, she turned her head to look at the man out of the corner of her eye.
“That, that’s not the point.”
A small smile appeared on Jessica’s face causing him to release his hold on her and stare down at her in confusion. “God, you’re weird.” A light giggle bubbled from her throat. “Get off me,” she commanded still giggling.
The sudden change in Jessica’s mood unnerved Ivy. Just a breath ago she had been a boiling pot of rage and now she was laughing all because the man had said “ahem.” Ivy had not found it that funny; in fact she had been frightened that Joker was going to kill Jessica. He had done so numerous times to other patients, but not the giggling mass beneath him.
Another thing that troubled the woman was the fact that Jessica did not seem to be fear the man. Ivy held no fear for men, but he was different. The way he laughed, the constant smile on his face, and the way he talked just struck the cord of fear inside of her. It was inevitable in a confined place, but she tried to avoid any contact with him whatsoever. Jessica had just strolled right up to him and hit him without hesitation. A dangerous action but one that did not seem to have any repercussions for the younger woman.
Many had done the same and ended up dead heartbeats later. His smiling face would contort into rage and he would attack whoever had the audacity to do so. Not with Jessica. It had seemed to irk him more than piss him off. Watching him now climbing off of her was strange. Even more strange was the fact that he helped her to her feet. When he tussled the dark brown hair on top of her head the giggling ceased and she frowned at him. After he was finished she just shrugged and literally skipped over to where Ivy sat.
Before Jessica reached the table Ivy whispered in Crane’s ear, “What do you think about the new girl?”
Intent on his game of chess with the man across from him, he shrugged. “My diagnosis is that she has a borderline split personality disorder. Separate personalities do not take over her body, but she has rapid changes in her emotions. What do you think, Hatter?”
Mad Hatter, so named for his love of Alice in Wonderland and its character Mad Hatter, just shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t like her.”
Crane rolled his eyes. “You don’t like anyone. I think she’ll be an interesting addition to this place.” In turn, Ivy rolled her eyes. Crane thought everyone that walked through the door would be an interesting addition.
Humming a nameless tune to herself, Jessica flopped down in the seat next to Mad Hatter who shifted over with her sudden nearness. Paying the man no heed, Jessica continued to hum to herself and play with a strand of her hair. “I think my hair’s getting darker.” That random bit of information raised a few eyebrows. “My hair was always dark, but it has seemed to get darker over the past few months. I wonder if me eating better has something to do with that.”
Crane witnessed a little twitch in her head as Joker took the seat next to her amongst the round table. His bright blue eyes returned to the game at hand. “Why are you here?” he inquired in genuine curiosity.
Still fiddling with the strand of hair Jessica answered the man. “I stabbed a man a couple of time then cut his throat open.” The tone that she used was girlish and non-caring. The storm gray eyes she had darted across the room and she realized people were still staring at her. “What are you all looking at?!” Her voice cut across the silent room and Ivy jumped at the sudden loudness of her voice. “Go back to playing your checkers and mind your own fucking business!”
Jessica turned back to her strand of hair and a silence ensued across the room. The only noise that could be heard was the quiet clicks and clacks as someone moved their pieces on the checkers boards. Running her fingers through her thick red hair, Ivy sighed in discontent catching Jessica’s attention. Ivy was not comfortable with the girl sitting there nor the company that she had brought with her, who was just looking at the group with mild interest.
“I’m sorry if my presence disturbs you,” Jessica started sweetly. For a moment, Ivy thought she was going to leave and take Joker with her. “But frankly, I don’t give a flying fuck. You’re just going to have to get used to it because I’m not going anywhere for a very long time. Besides, we’re roommates.”
Jessica’s attention was turned back to Crane when he asked, “Who did you kill?”
“My ex-pimp. He was a real prick.” Joker giggled and her attention diverted to him. “You’re next on my list, Puddin’ Pop.”
Ivy snorted as Joker’s face fell into a frown. He did not mind the death threat, but the nickname had to go. As sweetly as she mustered, Jessica smiled at the man batting her long black eyelashes at him. “Don’t, uh, call me that, Princess,” he retorted blandly.
“What? You don’t like Puddin’ Pop? I do. I think it’s a cute sweet name. Perfect name for a clown.” Resting her elbow on the wooden table she placed her chin in her hand. “I think it has a certain ring to it. Puddin’ Pop, it just puts a smile on my face.” As if to show the man that, her smile widened.
Joker threw his head back in mad laughter. When his hand moved toward her face she flinched noticeably to the others. With his forefinger and thumb, he pinched her cheek hard causing a pink hue to form. “You’re just too cute,” he said squeezing her cheek harder. Releasing it, he gave it a light pat. “Princess, your cheek’s all red. Are you blushing?”
“My name is Jessica,” she quickly hissed slamming her fist against the table. The pieces on the chess board jumped and a couple of them toppled over. Annoyed Crane glared at the young woman. With all her attention directed toward the demented clown before her, Jessica did not even notice Crane’s heated gaze.
“I told you. I, uh, I don’t like Jessica.”
“Fine. Whatever. Call me anything but Princess,” she relinquished. It was made very clear that no matter how much she insisted he was not going to call her by her actual name. If she could not beat him, she would compromise with him. Any name, she deemed, would be better than Princess. After all the years of being called that, she was sick of hearing it. The name was associated with her time as a prostitute and she would rather forget that lengthy period in her life.
Tilting his head to one side then the other, Joker studied Jessica. His dark eyes darted to and fro across her body taking everything in. Her skin as pale as snow, her hair closer to black than when he had first laid eyes on her, her lips now as red as the ripest apple. Apple. Ha, he had it! The perfect name for her. “Snow White!” he exclaimed slamming his fist against the table. Unlike Jessica’s attempt every chess piece on the board toppled over.
Jessica’s brows furrowed deeply in confusion at her newly acquainted nickname. “Snow White?” she questioned.
Before Joker could reply and explain his reasoning behind the name, Crane shot out of his chair and glared at the pair. If looks could kill, they would be on the floor convulsing. “You ruined my game of chess,” Crane stated between gritted teeth.
Sharply Jessica’s head snapped to the man. “Boo hoo, Crazy Man, boo hoo.”
All at the table except Jessica and Crane burst into fits of laughter. Mad Hatter laughed so hard that he fell from his chair and Joker was holding his sides. Ivy attempted to cover her laughter by placing her hands on her mouth, but her attempt was futile and the sound leaked through.
Wiping an invisible tear from his eye, Joker patted Jessica on the shoulder. She stiffened from the touch. “Don’t touch me!” she growled at the man. “Next time that you do I’ll make one of those chess pieces disappear down your throat.” The declaration only made the man laugh all the harder.
The corners of Jessica’s lips twitched as she fought back her own laughter. It was a hard battle, but she somehow managed. The man’s laugh was very infectious and she had nearly caught it. Bursting into a fit of giggles would not have been the right thing, or so she felt. Her laughing would have just made her seem all the more crazy and in that place, that was one thing she did not want. What she wanted was to get out as soon as possible and if the doctors that were lurking around the room spotted her laughing along with the man she really would have seemed insane.
No, she was not going to laugh along with the man. She was not going to be deemed crazy just because of him. Though it was his entire fault that she was there in the first place. If she would have never met him, if he would have never taken an interest in her, she would not be there. Then again, she would not have met Greg, would still be working the streets, and Andy would still be alive to haunt her every waking moment.
The man might have messed with her head, but if it were not for him, her life would still be a living hell. She had much to thank him for, though she would never openly admit it. Instead, she placed all her hate and blame toward him. It seemed more appropriate for her to do than thank him.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Jessica spotted someone walking toward her. Turning fully, she spotted a man of average height and build wearing black slacks with black dress shoes, a white button up shirt and a doctor’s coat over it that brushed against his calves with every step that he took. His light brown hair was slicked back flat against his head and reflected the light from the overuse of gel. The overly large forehead that he unabashedly showed off had small creases in it from the constant sneer on his thin cracked lips. On top of his sloping nose were thick glasses that made his light green eyes appear bug like as they peered over at her.
There was something about the man that unsettled Jessica. It was not his outward appearance which was not overly creepy. The way he held himself was not it as well, for he stood up at full height with perfect posture. There was nothing for her to explain the explicit fear that she felt. Every sense that she had stood on alert. The small hairs on the back of her neck prickled and rose. She involuntarily went rigid in her seat.
“Hello Jessica,” the man started as soon as he reached her. “My name is Dr. Michaels and I’ll be your psychologist during your stay here.” He held out his hand for her to shake. Though it repulsed her, she took it and gave it a limp shake. The palm of his head was dry, cold and very smooth. He held her hand for longer than was necessary so she ripped it out of his grasp. His buggy eyes darted around the table. “I see you have become acquainted with some of our more prestigious patients. They are a very interesting lot though I don’t see them together often.”
“You don’t see us together because you don’t come in here,” Crane retorted snidely. After being a fellow colleague to Michaels he did not like the man very much. He was rude, snobbish and overly confident in skills that he did not posses. Many times Crane had made the man look foolish in front of other doctors but they still insisted on hiring him and keeping him around. Even gave Michaels his old position.
Ignoring Crane, Michaels continued his one sided conversation with Jessica. “Now, Jessica, if you would come with me I would like to start your treatment.” Without waiting for a response he gripped Jessica’s upper arm, removed her from her seat, and dragged her away.
Watching Michaels pull the poor girl behind him Crane could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for her. Sympathy was not something he gave out freely, but what Jessica was about to face she deserved it. “Why such the long face?” Joker’s nasally voice sounded like nails on a chalk board to Crane. “Are you sad to see Snow White go?”
A glint of amusement appeared in Crane’s eyes. “And if I am, is there something you’re going to do about it?”
Tilting his head from one side to the other, Joker studied the man across from him much as he did Jessica. The man did nothing but stare back one side of his lips curved up and formed a smirk. Joker caught the amusement in Crane’s sky blue eyes and a smile formed on his. “Do you want to play a game?”
“I do.”
“What kind of game?”
For the better part of ten minutes Crane and Joker discussed their little game. It was out of sheer boredom that Crane had decided to collaborate with Joker of the game that was to come. Nothing truly interesting ever happens in Arkham and they have to make their own fun. Playing chess with Mad Hatter was very stimulating for the brain, but not very exciting.
Ivy stared at the two men incredulously. She could not believe what she was hearing. Both of them were planning on messing with the new girl and making a sick game out of it. Finding entertainment was hard in Arkham, but doing such a thing was disgusting. The worst part of the whole thing was there were virtually no rules to the except for two. No killing her and no messing up the others “prank”, as they called it.
With no interest Mad Hatter sat and listened to the two men talk. He felt no pity for the girl that was about to be the butt of multiple jokes over the course of who knew how long. All he could think about was how interesting it was going to be. At least there would be some entertainment in the days to come. His life in Arkham had been rather dull. With no signs of ever being released, he needed something to pass the time. He would not participate in the game, it was not to his liking, but watching it would lift his spirits slightly.
After they were done discussing the game, Crane held out his right hand to Joker. “Do we have a deal?” he asked with the largest smile he’s had on his face in a while.
“We do,” answered Joker taking the man’s slightly smaller hand in his. “When do we, uh, start?” he asked when he released the other man’s hand.
“As soon as she gets back.”
Now that that was settled all they had to do was wait for Jessica to get back.

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Here was the long awaited return of Joker. Not much happened in it. I hoped that you liked it all the same. Just review and rate please.