Chapter Sixteen

Annie's POV:


A bright, yellow light was shining in my eyes. It felt like it was frying my eyeballs out of my head. I shifted my head down so I could see the rest of my body and avoid the blinding light. My hands were in some sort of cuff, Why? I could feel an unexplainable rage coursing through my veins. I whipped my arms forward as hard as I could, breaking the cuffs.


 I sat up on the metal bed that I had awoken on. Where the hell was I? Better yet, who the hell was I?


I observed my surroundings. I was in an odd room with strange things in every corner. I noticed there were three other people in the room with me. They all stood by the door, staring at me.


One had a white lab coat and circular glasses, he looked astonished. Another was a female, she was wearing some sort of red and black jumpsuit as well as holding a camera. The last person in the room looked oddly like a clown. His face was ghostly pale and his lips were a shade of red velvet. A devilish grin took shape on his face.


“Perfect” he said.


Then the female lowered the camera and the little red light on it went out. Something didn’t feel right…No, nothing felt right.


“Why am I here? Who are you? What did you do to me?” I asked accusingly.


The one dressed like a clown steadily approached me. He began to speak.


“You were kidnapped.”


His voice was entrancing. It felt like cool air conditioning on a hot summer day, it was the most amazing thing I had ever heard. It relieved all my anger, thoughts and worries.


I knew I could trust this man.


“You kidnapped me?” I asked, waiting to hear his voice again.


“No, my dear child. The man dressed like a bat kidnapped you. He tortured you and we came to rescue you.”


My savior.


“Who are you?” I asked, letting myself stare into his wonderful green eyes.


“Well let’s just say you can call me, Uncle Joker.” He said bringing my ears to heaven with each word he spoke.


“Who are they?” I asked


The female stepped forward. “You can call me Harley, Harley Quinn.”


For some reason this introduction earned her a glare from ‘Uncle Joker’.


“And who’s that?” I asked, referring to the tall man in the lab coat.


“Oh that? That’s just Strange, he’ll be leaving now.” Joker said shooting the tall man a glare.


‘Strange’ looked bewildered. “What about your end of the deal?” he hollered.


Uncle Joker just gave him an unamused look. Then a massive man with rippling muscles entered the room. He was also dressed as a clown but he looked different from Joker.


“Do you need someone to escort you out, Doctor?” Joker asked, a grin characterizing his face.


‘Dr. Strange’ then abruptly left the room. I still had so many questions.


Joker held his hand out towards me. I took it and jumped of the table.


Joker tilted his head in confusion.


He slung my hand away and examined his. “I don’t understand…it should have worked” he mumbled.


There was some sort of silver device in his hand.


“Harley, shake my hand” he ordered.


“But, I…” she protested


“NOW DAMMIT!!!” he barked.


She took his hand and began convulsing.


He began to giggle and it soon erupted into laughter. His laugh was even more enthralling than his voice. I was immediately captivated, like a dog watching its owner. I felt a sense of belonging.


He let go of Harley who fell to the floor, still shaking. I realized that he had some sort of hand shocker.


He then held out his hand and touched me.


Nothing happened…again.


“If the buzzer’s not broken…then it must be you?” he said growing giddy with excite.


“I think you’re immune to pain!” he shouted with enthusiasm.  “This is going to be so fun!” he said skipping around the room.


He then placed his hands on my shoulders and let me out of the room, Harley managed to drag herself off of the floor and follow behind us.


“I have so many questions!” I said with a hint of exasperation. “who is the man dressed like a bat? Why did he kidnap me? how did you find me? Why did Harley have a video camera?”


Joker didn’t seem amused with my endless amount of questions as all he replied with was “In due time, my child”


We entered this massive room. It was decrepit, and the floor was lined with red velvet seats. In front of the rows and rows of seats was a stage. I realized that we were in some sort of theater.


“Welcome home, Annie” Uncle Joker said with a feverish cackle.


“Annie?” I asked, “Is that my name?”


I had no recollection of anything except the previous few minutes. All I knew is that Joker and Harley had saved me from some sort of Bat-man and that I owed them my life.


“oh you’re right, I suppose you’ll need a new name...”


He began to pace around. His finger stroked his chin and it was clear that he was deep in thought. Then he abruptly stopped.


A stray clothing rack stood at one end of the stage. He approached it as if something had caught his eye. The clothing rack was filled with various outfits that, I assumed, were used for performances on the stage.


Joker fiddled with the rack for a moment and then he pulled something off of it.


He spun around, revealing the outfit, or rather costume, he had picked out.


It was a corset, adorned with bows and ribbons. Under it was a pair of tights. The colors on it were black and orange, exactly like the colors of Halloween. It was similar to Harley’s outfit yet completely unique.


I loved it.


“well? Try it on!” he said grinning.


He handed me the outfit and I dashed behind a changing stall that was conviently placed by the costume rack.


While I changed, the Joker hummed a tune. A smile lit my face, it was like hearing an angel sing.


 I slipped into the corset and somehow managed to pull all the little ties correctly. Then I put on the striped tights. The costume reminded me of something a saloon girl would wear or some sort of steampunk kind of thing or…some sort of circus costume. It  would fit in with the clothes of Joker and Harley Quinn that was for sure.


The outfit fit me perfectly. I looked down at my shoes. I had been wearing converse sneakers, they definantly didn’t go with the costume.


Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pair of black combat boots. They matched perfectly. I pulled them on and smiled because they fit me just perfectly. It was like they had been made for me.


I did a cartwheel out of the stall and landed facing the Joker. I posed and held up my hands, each in the position of a gun.


“it’s perfect!” He exclaimed as he began prancing around.


Harley finally seemed to be returning to reality as she nodded half-heartedly.


“Hang on” She said as she motioned for me to sit in a nearby chair.


“There’s something missing..” She continued.


Joker didn’t look to pleased with her sense of authority but he let her continue.


She pushed the chair I was sitting in over to a mirror, but turned me so I could not see my reflection.


Before I knew what was what, she began applying all sorts of things to my face.


“There! All done!” She exclaimed, clapping her hands together and jumping up and down.


Joker nodded in approval and she spun me around so I could see my reflection in the mirror.


My face was covered in make-up so I looked just like her. I looked like a harlequin.


“Now about that name…”Joker began again.



“How about…Jester?” He asked.

Comment