Gotham's Apocalypse (A Joke Story [Sequel to Cruel])

5: Distancing Myself

Joker seemed to be fixated on the front door the whole time we sat in the living room. I was currently reading a book on world domination, as he was writing down plans for a new heist. I don't know why, but he insisted to be in the living room.

All of a sudden he flew from the couch and opened the door. Someone walked into the fun house, and I turned to look to see who it was.

Charlotte.

I smiled when I saw her. She was holding two coffees, and she handed one of them to me. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to visit, I saw on the news you kind of flew off the handle."

At least she was honest.

I let out a sigh as I grabbed the drink from her hands. It was almost too rough, and I almost apologized for it until I realized I didn't have to apologize for anything anymore.

I rolled my eyes. "It may seem like I flew off the handle to you. But in reality, I've rediscovered myself ."

Joker gave a curt laugh at this. "Yeah, by trying to get yourself killed."

I glared at him. A look I never thought I'd ever have to give him. "Out of all people, you should understand what's going on in my head!"

He grinned, but his eyes held pure death in them. "I was never as stupid as you're being now."

"Look," I growled. "My face was cut open because Riddler came after me. Riddler came after me because you didn't kill his informant like you said you would. His informant came after me because you asked me to extract information from him. You're guilty here."

This made him so angry he started to advance at me, but Charlotte stood in front of me with a finger raised at him and a stern look. Surprisingly, she was able to hold her own, and he stopped abruptly. He knew if he blew through her, I'd sucker punch him, and so would she. We weren't as big as he was, but we were coordinated, since we were best friends.

He gave an aggravated groan before shaking his head, pure fury in his eyes as he clenched his fists. "You need to stop blaming other people for what happens to you." he gave me a sickening grin. "Once you're ready to actually have fun, and not destroy everything out of hatred, call me. For now, I'm going to be doing my own thing."

"You've been doing your own thing as it is!" I snapped. "You've cut me out of all your work. Now just—"

"Enough!" Charlotte shouted, her face turning as red as a tomato. She was angry, her nostrils were flared and she was pointing fingers at the two of us. "Joker, what the hell is wrong with you? You need to help her through this, not shun her for having feelings."

"Ha!" I shouted angrily.

"And you," she spoke, turning to me. My eyes widened. I had never been at the receiving end of her rage, so I must've really pissed her off. "You need to also comply to his demands! He's trying to make sure you don't kill yourself out there!" I bit my lip nervously, making eye contact with Joker. He adverted his eyes away from mine. "But most of all," she shouted, raising her hands in the air. "You two need to talk to each other and work on this, because you both are the most stubborn people I have ever heard in my life!"

"Yes, mom," I spoke with a roll of my eyes. She gave me a warning glare, shutting me up once and for all.

I shuffled nervously where I stood. She rarely did stuff like this, but when she did, it was much needed.

"Well, I have no time to be told what to do," Joker spoke, checking his wrist. He was looking at his nonexistent watch. He turned his back and bolted out of the room. I sat on the chair behind me and ran my hand through my hair before reaching down and touching the scars on my face. I felt anger surge through me as I stood up and tried to walk out of the room, but Charlotte stopped me.

"Let's go out and distract you."

I held up my beeper, which was going off. "I have some people to repair."

"Well, let me come with you," she spoke.

I pursed my lips and popped them, licking the insides of my scars. "You do understand that the people who won't make it are euthanized. Are you prepared to see that?"

Her eyes searched mine, and it seemed she was hopeful that I would do everything in my power to stop these people from dying, but she didn't know what type of people these were. She didn't know what type of person I'd become.

"Yes," she spoke. "I'll help you."

"I don't need help," I responded. "I need you to understand that once I let someone die, I let them die. And you have no right to try to help them."

"I'm a nurse," she spoke firmly. "Helping people is what I do."

"No," I shook my head. "You don't help people because you're a nurse. You do it because you're the purest human being alive. You help people even when they don't need it. You shouldn't come with me. You're going to be yourself and you're gonna try to save them, even if I tell you they're a shitty human being."

She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "Lucy," her voice almost broke my heart. "Please."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and rolled my eyes. "Fine. Fine! Fine. You can come with me, but please. . . Stay out of the way. Tammy and Sammy, two of my nurses are there to assist me. And if I need more help, I'll call Yasmine and Becca."

She smiled. "Okay."

"God, if you get nightmares from this, don't blame me. I fully warned you," I spoke with harsh eyes as I walked to the hospital as she followed behind. God, I loved my best friend, and I loved who I was, but sometimes, I didn't want her to see the real me, even if she was so accepting of it. I wasn't at that place yet. I was still so vengeful. I was still so hateful. She was the complete opposite of that. She was pure in every form of the word.

I didn't want to taint her heart.