Arkham Days

I sat in the closet letting my eyes adjust to the dark, and searched for things to occupy myself with until Crane returned. How did I get myself into this kind situation anyway? I crept towards the door, gently twisting the knob and cracking the door slightly. The door slid open with no problems, and I pinched my eyes shut as the sudden light attached my senses. My eyes roamed the sight in front of me; an empty hall echoing with the sounds of people in the activity room. Geez, I'm so tired of waiting! I stood up retching the door open. Hesitantly, I stepped out searching, but no one jumped out to grab me or even yell "Boo", so I convinced myself quite easily that it was safe to continue on.

It didn't take me long before I reached the activity room, which was centered between our cells. No one seemed to notice my sudden appearance. I didn't have long to wonder why though. Everyone was gathered in a circle at the far end of the room hooping and hollering. Deja Vu? My feet padded quickly, but quietly across and once again I slipped my way in between the others to get a better view of what was going on. Seated in the center was none other than Scarecrow, and that malicious clown, in what seemed to be a heated game of...Battle Ship?! What the hell?! Had everyone completely lost what little sense they had left? I stood there wide-eyed and in shock as Crane was forced to place a red peg inside a patrol boat. I felt the anger bubble up inside of me; I had been sitting in that closet for God knows how long, and him and that maniac were playing a leisurely board game?



"What the hell is going on here?!" I didn't think my voice had come out that loud, but everyone stopped and looked at me.



"Whats going on with yourself, ah, sweet cheeks?" The Joker stopped playing and turned to face me. He smacked his lips his eyes scanning up and down, as he shifted to the edge of his seat. "That's a good look for you."



I stood an odd expression on my face, and then I felt it. The fluffy texture wrapped around me. The towel! The bleeding towel, I had forgotten to change! I watched a smirk spread across his face crinkling his scars to the side as he began rising from his chair. I stepped back running into more inmates who were yelling cat-calls I was too afraid to pay attention to. Joker stepped towards me, his hand out stretched towards the towel, when a loud crack sent him reeling back. Crane stood poised between us, seperatting the Joker from my self.



"Croc!" I heard the scaled man grunt in response, stepping forward and picking me up. Crane never turned back, but as Croc toted me away, I saw teh Joker rise to his feet and spring at Scarecrow knocking him to the ground with an echoing thud.



"Put me down!" My fists hurt like crazy as I pounded them against Killer Croc's re-enforced flesh, but I was determined to get the message across if not by words, then by means he would understand. I felt his arms loosen and I slide to the ground, smacking my knees against the floor. I hissed grabbing my legs, and cradling them as I waited for the pain to subside. I felt a pile of clothes fall on my head, and I looked up to see Croc staring at me for once with a look other than complete loathing.



"You should," a finger shot out to gesture at the pile sliding off my head, "on the clothes." He turned his back and stood there, and I didn't argue. I took advantage of the limited privacy I had, slipping on the soft white material over my head and legs.



"Umm," I wasn't sure exactly how to put this, but I had no underwear and to make matters worse the clothes he gave me were at least 2 sizes too large. Croc turned around and grunted, what almost sounded like a laugh, before tossing me some rope.



"Use that to, uh, hold up the," he gestured towards the pants. "You'll just have to hold the top up." He snickered and turned around again.



"Why can't I wear my clothes, I had some in the bathroom?" I grabbed the rope securing the pants around my hips, and then used my hands, to keep the unusually large collar from slipping down my body and flashing the asylum.



"Not anymore."



"Why not?"



"The Joker." He turned his head peeking around his shoulder, although whether to see if it was safe to look or to try and catch a glimpse of something I don't know.



"The Joker... took my clothes?!"



"Yup," he grabbed my arm and led me around a corner. After a moment of walking he found an unused room, most likely a psychotrist quarters given the soft chairs and couches. He found a couch and sat on it taking up most of its room, he released his bruising grip on my arm after I sat beside him. Ya, this isn't awkward at all. I rolled my eyes at the thought. I turned my head to look at him, actually now that I thought about it, this was the first time I had really gotten a good look at him, and boy was he huge! He didn't look flabby, in fact if I was to guess I would imagine he was pure muscle. He sat with his shoulders hunched over slightly compacting his size. His skin, had an odd wet appearance, but it was actually very dry and smooth. His yellow eyes remained fixed on the door, giving me a better look at his face. His head, for the most part was fairly normal, except right were his nose would curve back in towards his lips, in continued on in a straight line towards his scaley mouth with concealed a number of massive sharp teeth.



"What are we doing here?" His eye flickered back towards me, as he shifted on the sofa.



"Making sure you stay put this time." His voice was gruff, but underneath all the show he just sounded bored.



"Why?" I thought my question seemed reasonable, but given the look he shot me he thought it was stupid.



"Jokers after ya."



"...Why?" He sighed placing his head in his hands and then looked back at me.



"I dunno! He just is." I shrugged. I guess it made sense, as much sense as anything else would in here.



"Why are you doing this?" He shot me an odd look.



"Doin' what?"



"Doin' what? Helping me! I mean after all you guys did to me! You and Scarecrow!" I found my self wanting to reach my hands out and strangle his neck.



"Well wasn't that what we were supposed to do?" I stared at him my mouth hanging open at an awkward angle. "Scarecrows, they're supposed to scare crows right?"



"So then, why the sudden change?" He shrugged.



"I dunno." He shook his head, and then caved in after a deep sigh. "At first...at first it was just fun and games you know? The more we went along though the more interested he got and well, things just happened."



"I have a question." I turned my body completely to face with him.



"That's all you seem to have." he sighed.



"What's your name, your real name? Before you became...who you are now."



"Waylon. Waylon Jones."



"Jones." I smiled."Cool." Our heads both shot up at the sound of the door opening; Croc leaping from the couch as a form slid in through the door and shut it behind him. Scarecrow stood there back pressed to the door.



"I think we need to talk."