"I felt a queasy mixture of relief and horror: when you finally stop an itch and realize it's because you've ripped a hole in your skin."- Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
•••
Classical music played from a record in the parlor of the house. The sound almost haunting as it crackled through the horn when Jim made his way into the home Lee and Mario shared.
With his gun drawn, he looked around. Even with the late evening sun the room looked full of shadows.
As he moved closer to a hallway on the right, opposite from the stairs, he spotted someone.
One of the Tweeds; who'd switched out their wresting garb for a tailored suit and bowler hats.
Adjusting his grip on the weapon and not entirely sure what to expect around the corner, Jim pushed onward into the dining room.
At the table in the center of the room sat Jervis at the head of the table. With Bird and Lee seated across from one another.
"Welcome to our tea party James." Jervis greeted him. The other Tweed brother who stood by him at the table cocked the shotgun in his hands as a warning, "We've been expecting you."
When Bird turned her head to see where Jim was standing, he got his first real look at her.
"You son of a bitch-" He growled, gun pointed at Tetch, assuming the injuries she'd sustained had been inflicted on her by him or the Tweeds.
"Ah, ah, ah." Jervis clicked his tongue, "There's no need for that. Bird was like that when I found her."
"It's true." She admitted. Avoiding Jim's eyes as she spoke.
"Please." Jervis motioned to the only empty seat at the other end of the table and added, "Have a seat."
Jim walked towards the chair, keeping his gun drawn and stopped when he saw a place card sitting on the empty plate with his name written in blood.
Jim swallowed, "I think I'll stand."
"You'll do as I say." Jervis Tetch's voice raised, "Or things will get messy and by messy I mean both my friends will pull their triggers and then we'll have blood and brains all over this beautiful table."
The Tweeds were standing in place, both of them with a loaded gun pointed at Lee and Bird.
The table was set for a party. A tea party.
There was an antique center piece of a bubble glass clock. The finest silver and crystal to be found in the house was laid out at each place setting.
Small triangle cut finger sandwiches were on a spotless platter in the center of the table.
"Now, place your gun on the platter and have a seat." Jervis instructed.
One of the Tweeds walked up to him with a round platter containing a place card that fittingly read, "Gordon's Gun".
"Really?" Jervis' face started to twist from the almost friendly expression he'd been wearing to something darker, "After all we've been through today; you have to think about it? Not everyone here has to die."
Jim glanced over at Bird and then to Lee before his gaze fell back to the place card awaiting his gun.
Despite Jervis saying not everyone has to die; Jim knew the day could very easily end up with all of them dead.
This certainly wasn't the direction he'd expected his day to go.
In fact, it started about as normal as any other day.
Bird had gotten up earlier than usual, stating she had a few things to take care of before going to work.
So he'd went to a diner for breakfast alone and then it had been downhill from there.
YOU ARE READING
Devil's Playground • Gotham Fanfiction •
Fanfiction"Sometimes you have to just sit back and watch people destroy themselves." Bird's own words after watching her biological mother die. Little did she know that apparently it was something she'd inherited. Maybe that's just part of the madness of life...
