Humans. Monsters. Heroes. Villains.

Chapter 12: Boom!

The Phoenix's POV
There was a pause, and for one breathtaking moment I thought nothing had happened and it had all been a trick.

Then the explosions sounded.

First it was only one, from the back of the building. The first was followed by another. And another. And another.

It was a chain reaction.

Boom, boom, boom, like sound effects from a video game. One right after the other. What have I done? I didn't want to look. I knew I had to.

I screamed. I ran to the window, shaking, looked down to see fire and destruction and bodies that were not moving even though they should be.

What have I done?

The remote. The damn remote. It was still in my shaking hand. I dropped it on the floor and smashed it with my heel, then kicked the mangled remains to the side. There was so much noise and my ears were ringing and what is that sound?

The Joker was laughing. He was standing there behind me and laughing and I used the remote he gave me stupid stupid of course it was a trick damn it all!

I whirled around and kicked him where it hurt. He crumpled over, still laughing like a maniac.

"You're a feisty one. That's good. It makes things interesting." he stood up straight again and grinned, brushing off the front of his white jumpsuit. "Now that we've got that over with..."

He pressed the button on his remote.

I screamed again and dove for it, snatching it out of his hand. But it was too late. He had already pressed the button, I saw it with my own eyes. He didn't even fight me when I snatched it.

Bracing myself, I closed my eyes and waited.

Nothing happened.

I opened my eyes and looked down at the remote in my hand, small and almost plastic looking. Still nothing happened. Maybe it was on a time delay?

The Joker watched me, waiting for my reaction. I clenched my fist so hard that the button was pressed again.

And still, nothing happened.

No. No way.

I was going to kill that psycho. No, first I was going to throw him in Arkham again until he really lost his mind, more than he already had. I would let him rot there until he was a babbling idiot. Then maybe I would kill him.

Maybe. If he suffered enough first.

I knew I was letting my anger get the better of me. But at the moment, I couldn't care less.

Ambulances screamed and people shouted and the Joker laughed and he tricked me and people died.

It was my fault.

Clenching my fist, I swung it at the Joker and punched him as hard as I could. He stumbled back and started laughing again, clutching his face. His makeup was smeared, revealing normal, strangely healthy skin underneath.

My fault. I fell for it, I pressed that button. Who had died? Was Jim okay? Jim had better be okay or else the Joker was going to rue the day he escaped the safety of the Asylum.

There was so much noise, both inside my head and outside it. He had stopped laughing. Good. But he was still just standing there, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. Nothing I did fazed him. I could probably pull out a gun and shoot him right now and he wouldn't even care. Hell, that was probably what he wanted, what he expected.