Room #223

[The Joker]

One of the cell rooms for Arkham's patients. The room is small with only one light at the ceiling, a bunk, and one door. The side wall of the room was made of thick bullet proof glass so that the patient inside could always be seen.

[The Joker]

It burned…it burned throughout his body. It had been so pointless, so flawless. There was no reason to it. Why had it happened? It had been so terrible, so terrifying, so insane…so funny.
The Joker woke up from his dream, his one dream, again and again and again. It was always the same dream. And it was always funny. The laugh echoed out of the room and down the hall. Outside they groaned, they always groaned and begged. That was one of the reasons the Joker laughed so loud in here. The guards warned him to shut up, to close his mouth. They didn’t matter though, they were so close. These two guards, so close. They just needed to be…happy. They needed to realize what a gift they were guarding. That his dear companions were greater than anything that was outside this building.
They were beating on the glass now. They were so…predictable. It only added to his laughter, around him the insane were stirring. They were yelling, they were screaming. Their voices formed together into perfect harmony…only disrupted by the sane. The banging, the yells of silence. Oh how terrible it must be for them to be left out of the loop like this. They’ll have to join me, or get out of the way.
They were so pathetic, their little minds moving in such straight lines trying to stop such a simple thing. But a laugh can be so powerful. Already doctors were running around in their white smocks trying to clean up. Oh they had their normal little peace makers, a needle here and some pills there. All to bring about that peace they so longed for. They never thought of anything new.
“He switched the locks.” One of the guards called out. Oh now they get it. Then comes the throwing themselves. The fat guard started to pound the door with his shoulder. It beat rhythmically. Some of the inmates were calming down through the medicine. My poor friends, he thought. So cruel how the insane oppress us so. How cruel the insane strive to fight us when madness is so much more fun.
It had taken weeks to sort out the chemicals from his foods. It had only taken a few of them. But most of what he needed came from the janitors closet. Did these idiots really think that the air vents couldn’t hold a body? Or that the ceiling would be impenetrable? Or did they never think to have a crazy as smart as little old me?
Tonight would be the night. Why not? The fools have had their places just right. He had had his rest from his last little adventure. And here he had his trusty spoon.
The door finally burst open and the first guard fell to the ground, huffing like the overweight walrus he was. “Evening kind sir. Why do you grace my humble abode?”
The man behind him lunged forward to grab him. The Joker danced out of the way. “Heavens to Betsy, what’s gotten into you?” The Joker laughed again and through something into the guards face. “Oh, I have.” The Joker’s cackles and giggles started to spread to the guard. Pity he had such little chemicals to work with, the dose would not be fatal, merely inconvenient. To make the gas required his own blood and starch and other little bits to make the Smilex work.
Now there were two guards on the ground one shaking and one struggling to get up. Pity I can’t get a laugh out of that one two, the Joker thought as he thrust the sharpened end of his spoon into the man’s neck.
The others were in shock. It had happened so fast, so shocking. “Uh no he’s fallen and can’t get up.” The Joker brandished the spoon, waiving at the nurses and guards. They were crying and fearful. So many faces, all so different. It couldn’t be tolerated. “Don’t you get the joke?” He laughed throwing the remainder of the dust into the air. They recoiled in fear and hysteria. What, oh what, could this lunatic had thrown at them? Could it be? Yes oh yes it was! Dust!
Using their distraction Joker bowled through them, slamming several nurses to the ground. He ran, he ran like a lunatic. He swirled around, he turned corners he didn’t think he remembered where they led. They surrounded him eventually, took away his spoon. Forced him into a comfortable straightjacket and sent him into the secure room. Ah the home away from home. Just like he left it last week. But tonight he was ready.
The door was closed the night was young and his straightjacket was untied in a few moments. Selecting a panel on the ceiling he lifted it and pushed up. To easy.
He crawled across the pipelines and through his stockpile toward the open section of the old building. Where anyone of thin enough frame could wiggle free.
“Hello Gotham, it’s a big day. Wake up. Joker’s come to town!”