HOME | DD

Description
Schizophrenia

I.... I.... where’s ......where am I?

Everything’s .....still a bit blurry ....my head hurts a bit ....but....I can’t move my arms. Vision’s ...starting to come back ....but ...I’m not where I was before ... everything’s green ...I’m at a... table? Sitting in a chair ....it’s all starting to become clear now.

I’m...I’m in some kind of greenhouse or something, and I’m sitting in front of a large table that looks like it’s set for tea.

The room I’m in is fully of plants all over, kept inside vases and holders all around where the table is. The roof is a clear glass one, and I can see pipes with mists sprayers on them. I think...I’m in the botanical garden building now. But how did I get here?

I look at the table again. A large red and black checkered table cloth over it with a whole bunch of tea cups, pots, plates, even two different kinds of clocks. There’s also people, about six, three on each side, and they’re all...dressed like something out of a story book.

One of them has a mask of a white rabbit on, I can tell it’s one of the guards by his cloths, that’s covering his whole face. One dressed as some kind of queen with a half-assed looking crown on her head, made from knick-knacks of things screws and forks, and a red dress that looks like it was sown with pieces of coats and other clothing and then painted red. It’s a female doctor as best I can figure. One dressed in an odd looking bird costume, the shirt and pants exposed showing he’s an inmate, with the bird head covering his whole head. Another, which I can’t tell what he is in terms of a real person, dressed in a turtle shell and donkey ears on his head. One, a male doctor, dressed with a hood that has mouse ears on it and showing his face. And finally a very overweight looking bald man, dressed in inmate in an uniform, who looks like he’s sitting on the floor and yet big enough to reach above the table. Of those who’s faces I can see, with the exception of the bald man, they all have very blank expressions on their faces.
But they’re not the only one’s dressed odd. I look down at myself. I’m not wearing my uniform. I’m in a dress....an Alice dress straight from wonderland. It has everything, the blue, the white apron thing in front, I even look down and see I have the shoes and white socks on.

But I also noticed y hands and feet are tied to the giant chair I’m in. It has a very large back, with a red cushion I’m sitting on, that reaches a few feet above my head. What’s going on?

But then I hear someone muttering to themselves all the way at the end of the table and look to see. It’s a little man dressed in, what I can tell, is another costume meant for wonderland. He’s wearing a large green jacket with the collar tucked up. He also has a blue checkered shirt underneath with a large red bowtie around the collar. His face as a bit of a large nose, greasy looking red hair, and a very large hat on his head, with a card with the numbers 10/6 on the brim. He’s looking down at a large gold pocket watch in his left hand. If he wasn’t the real Mad Hatter, straight from the book itself, I’d swear he was a dead ringer.

“Oh, yes.” He mutters. “ ‘The time has come!’ the Walrus said. ‘To talk of other things. Of cakes, and rabbits, and tea parties and other wonderful things.” He finishes with a giggle.

“What’s...what’s going on?” I ask, fully coming to my sense.

The little man suddenly perks up, closes his watch and says “Ah, she finally wakes. And you’re just in time, Alice. You were nearly late. Late, late, late, for you’re very important date.” He giggles again.

“Who are you? How...how did I get here? Why am I dressed like this?” I ask again, indicating the outfit I have on.

“So many questions, Alice. Just like you. Always never knowing which way you’re going.” He stands up on his chair and continues. “You even got lost before tumbling down the rabbit hole. But found no rabbits. Oh no, no. Only crows and cranes. But no matter, you’re back with us, Alice. And now we can finally start the tea party.”

“Why do you keep calling me that? I’m not Alice. My name’s...”

He suddenly cuts me off and says “Now none of that, Alice. It took enough time to get you ready as it is. You weren’t dressed for the occasion so the red queen had to help you better.”

I’m guessing from that he means he made the women dressed as a queen put this outfit on me. But at the same time I have a very horrible feeling he might have been watching...maybe even got a little too close once or twice. It makes me sick to think this little creep did. I just hope I’m wrong in that case.

“And, after all, you look much better than you did before.” He keeps going. “Last time the hair wasn’t right and there was a lot of cutting involved. Yes, the hair wants cutting....cutting...cutting. Where was I? Oh yes, of course. Tea is what we need, and tea is what I like. I like what you get and I get what I like.” He chuckles.

He reaches up and turns his hat a bit before I suddenly see all the other people, with the exception of the overweight , pick up the tea cups in front of them and drink. I see that they all move in unison and so stiff as well, as if there’s no control from them.

“You’re....you’re controlling these people, aren’t you?” I say, starting to realize what’s going on.

“Why ask so many questions, Alice?” he says, ignoring my question. “So many questions, and only few answers. Like why is a raven like a writing desk? Or why is the Joker like a spoilsport?”

“The Joker?”

“Yes, nasty Joker didn’t want me to have my party. He wanted all my guest to himself. But I wouldn’t have any of that, oh no. Can’t let him find out either or else he’ll take you away from me, my dear Alice. Just like he took poor Ivy away from her plants. Poor thing. All she wanted was to leave her happy place and be with the flowers, to chat away the day with them like you. But Joker couldn’t have that. No, no. No one spoiling his games. No one interrupting his tea party.”

He may be ranting like a lunatic, but at least he’s telling me a lot more than I asked. Joker keeping Ivy out of the picture, him wanted Hatter to go around and collect people. What is he planning? Not much I can figure, and not much to do when I’m stuck here with this creep.

“But no one can interrupt us now, Alice. We’re all safe and sound, like an oyster in the sea.”

“I told you before,” I say, a bit annoyed. “My name’s not...”

I’m suddenly distracted by the sound of something breaking. I, including the Mad Hatter, look over and see it was some action figure toy the overweight was playing with. It’s head and limbs are gone and are lying in pieces amongst more dolls and toys in front of him.

“Oh now Humpty.” Hatter says. “Must you be so playful during tea time?”

I suddenly realize something about Humpty, as he was called. Everyone else is wearing something on their heads, which I assume is how he’s controlling them, but I don’t see Humpty wearing anything aside from his inmate clothing. In fact he’s the only one not moving around and drinking tea; he’s just sitting there and looking over his toys. He tries putting the action figure back together, but I tell he’s putting them in the wrong sockets.

“Wait...you’re not controlling him?” I ask, still looking at Humpty.

“No need to, Alice. You should know that. Dear Humpty is always such a calm, complacent party member. If only he’s stop playing and actual try my tea for once. Oh well.”

I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for Humpty Dumpty when I look at him. He has such a saddened and yet uncaring face. Is as if he doesn’t mind the world around him and only wants to keep breaking and fixing what he can. It’s made more clear when he finishes with the one doll, puts it on the ground near him, and then just reaches for another doll. Poor guy....

“Now no more talk, Alice. Time for your cake and tea. Care to have some? Sugar and cream perhaps?”

I look down and see the tea in front of me. Next to it is a plate of small cakes. I look back at the Hatter and see an eager expression on his face.

“I think I’ll pass.” I say bluntly.

“Oh. Now that’s no way to act, Alice.” He says, frowning a bit. “You’re acting like a stubborn griffin. Well we’ll just need to fix that.”

He turns his hat again and suddenly the two men dressed as the White Rabbit and the Mock Turtle put their cups down and stand. They come towards me, walking so stiff-like, before the turtle grabs my shoulders and the rabbit picks up a small cake.

“Are you sure you won’t have some, Alice?” Mad Hatter says again.

“For the last time, I told you,” I start to say, more annoyed now. “My names not—mppff”

Before I can finish the rabbit shoves a cake into my mouth, almost choking me with it.

“So what do you think of my cake, Alice?”

I respond by spitting it out. The crumbs and spit go over the table while I’m half-choking my throat out.

“No, no, no! Wrong! That is all wrong!” He half shouts at me. “Do you want to get your head cut off? I think you need a little more.”

He commands the rabbit to put another cake in my mouth and then the mock turtle covers it, forcing me to swallow the cake. Once it’s done the hand comes off my mouth. Giving me a chance to choke again after having more food shoved down my throat.

There’s a moment where I look to see Humpty Dumpty glancing up to me. At first I’m hoping he’ll help me, sort of like what Grundy did before, but instead he just goes back to his toys. I don’t know if it’s out of fear or an oblivious nature, but my hope just went down a peg.

I finally catch my breath and say “Look...I just want to go. Let me out and I’ll...”

He cuts me off again and says “But you can’t go now, Alice. You haven’t had enough. More please. Can’t have any less, only any more.”

He makes them pick up another sweet from the table and force it in my mouth. This time I manage to swallow without choking but he still had the turtle put his hand over my mouth.

“I said let me out of here!” I say to him.

“What’s that, Alice? Need some tea now?” Hatter says.

Now they take a cup of tea and force it down my throat. It feels a little too hot as it’s in my mouth, covered yet again so I can’t spit it out. I cough again from that before finally losing it.

“LET ME GO, YOU FREAK!” I yell at him, mixed with both anger and fear now.

He suddenly calls off his pawns and they step away from me. At the same time the ones at the table put their cups down and all look at me. I can see Hatter shaking his head and putting his hand on his forehead.

“Poor, poor, foolish Alice.” He says, finally looking at me. “I’d really hoped you’d learn this time. Over and over and over again, you constantly and deliberately try to spoil the fun. And over and over I’m forced to use drastic measures. Ah well, maybe it’s better for you this way.” He holds up a black hair band with a bow in it. “I think you need to go further down the rabbit hole.”

I’m confused at first by this, but then I suddenly start to see his plan. That band’s just like the mask and hats he put on the others. He’s going to control my mind. Probably end up turning me into some kind of vegetable in he process!

I struggle more to get out of the binds keeping my hands and feet down, but the Mad Hatter controls his goons to hold me down by the arms. I can see him standing on the table now and coming towards me with the hairband.

“No! Stop! Don’t do this! Please!” I plead.

“Now don’t try to struggle, Alice.” He says, still walking over. “If you’re not going to play my game, then I have to make the game play you.”

“You...you’re crazy!” I yell at him again.

“Crazy? Insane? Mad you say?” He stops for a moment, halfway on the table. “But don’t you see, Alice? We’re all mad here. Because this....is Arkham... and everyone here’s is MAD!”

He walks towards me again, a more sinister grin on his face. I can’t fight him like I did Scarecrow, and any second now he’s going to take my mind. Dammit...if only I could move. If only someone would help. If only I hadn’t been here in the first place....

Just as he’s about to put it on me, I close my eyes at this point, when there’s a sudden clang sound. I open my eyes and see the White Rabbit fall to the ground. Another clang. The Mock turtle now.

“No! No! No!” I hear Hatter say in a very sad and yet angered tone. “You’ll ruin the tea party!”

I suddenly see a metal pipe, what was used to knock the others out, smack against Hatter’s face. He flies off the table and land on the floor, knocked out. The person who hit hi walks over and I see he steps on his hat that’s lying on the ground. Once he does all the people at the table collapse, some face-first on the table and other off the side of their chairs.

I look in both shock and surprise when I see this, and then look to see who it was that saved me as they turn towards me.

“Jason!?!” I say, seeing him.

It is Jason. He’s alive. He looks like he did before, only some of his cloths are torn, like his coat and pants, around the knee, and he’s not wearing his glasses. There’s also a small blood stain on his shirt and tie, going across to his left shoulder. He looks like he’s almost been through as much as me, and hear I’m the one with a few cuts and in an Alice and Wonderland dress.

He walks over to me and starts to undo my bonds, saying “Don’t worry, Sam. I’ll get you out of here.”

“How...how did you find me?” I ask, both my legs free now.

“I saw Jervis hear” he indicated the Mad Hatter. “carrying you off from Intensive Treatment. Would’ve been here sooner but...I needed to be exactly sure about what was going on.”

He finally undoes my hands and I try to stand, only to find my legs a lot weaker than I though. I fall over before he catches me.

“You alright?” he asks.

“No...no I think...I haven’t fully recovered from all this.” I tell him. “I ran into Scarecrow before and...he got me with his toxins.”

“That’ll take a lot out of you if you manage to walk away from it.” He tell me before stinging my arm over his shoulder. “C’mon. I’ll help you.”

“Wait. What about them?” I ask, indicating the other people around the table.

“They’ll be out for a while.” Jason says. “It’s a kind of state they go into when Tetch’s control is stopped abruptly.”

Then I think of Humpty and ask “But...what about...?”

Before I can finish bot Jason and I look to see Humpty putting people back upright in their chairs. He en gets up to pick up those who feel to the ground to put them back. He sees us watching and only looks with a slight smile.

“Fix it...I’ll fix it.” He says before going straight back to it.

“No point about Dumpler.” Jason says, starting to walk out with me. “He’s not going anywhere.”

I look back one last time and see him pick up Hatter and his crushed hat. By the time I look back, Jason has already opened the door and is walking me through. I still feel so sorry for Humpty when I think about it, but like Jason said: no point about it for now.

Jason leads me out of the room, down one hallway, and into a large atrium room, with a bunch of plants decoration the place, a glass room like the other room, and a fountain in the center with shapes of horses and water shooting from their mouths. I notice Jason is a little hasty with his pace as we keep going past the room and towards the front door of the building.

As we keep walking, I look to him and ask “Where’s Emily? Is she alright?”

He slows a bit and looks down before looking back to me and saying “She...she didn’t make it. I’m sorry, but she just couldn’t...”

I stop, right out in front of the door out of the building, and am stunned by this. Emily...gone. Dead. At first I just think this is the fear toxin acting in me again...but deep down I know it’s not. I look down... hating the fact that I wasn’t there to try and help.

Jason takes me by the shoulders and says “Samantha, listen to me. I know this is a bit of a shock, but we need to go now.”

I look back at him and say “Go? Go where? Crane killed all the survivors in intensive treatment. And I have no idea where anyone else is. There is nowhere else to go.”

“Yes there is.” He says. “I found someplace. And once we get there, I’ll...I mean...we’ll be safe.”

I’m a bit taken back by that, especially that he corrected himself, but I guess I don’t have any better options. I nod, and tell him I can walk on my own now, before we both exit the building.

***********************

I look and see the whole of Arkham East again. It’s basically all the same. But as I look at the mansion, the graveyard, and everything else, the horrible memories of Man-Bat, running for my life and falling into the grave come back.

Jason shakes my arm as I’m standing there and says “Come on. We don’t have to worry about Man-Bat again.”

As we start walking down the stairs I ask “How can you be sure?”

He doesn’t look back but only says “Just trust me, alright?” as if he doesn’t want to have questions asked.

I look at him oddly from this but still keep following. We walk all the way across to the doorway to Arkham West of all places. We’re about half way through the tunnel below before I stop.

“Wait a second, why are we going back to West?” I ask. “Is the medical building even safe anymore?”

“We’re not going to medical.” He says, looking back to me. “Now stop asking so many questions and just come on.”

“N-no. I won’t I say. Not until you tell me what you’re plan is?” I cross my arms and keep asking. “I mean are you thinking of going to the penitentiary, because we might be no better off there.”

He walks up to me and is almost face to face, making me back up a bit in surprise, before he says “Listen, I just saved your ass from the Mad Hatter. If I wanted to I could’ve left you to be another one of his little play things and have been on my way. But I still needed you with me, so you better stop questioning me and just do what I say, get it?”

I look at him, seeing a look of both anger and almost desperation. It also in his tone of voice as well. I’m starting to wonder what exactly he’s thinking.

“Jason...” I start to ask again. “...where are you taking me?”

He seems like he’s about to yell again but relaxes. He rubs the back of his head and takes a deep breath before looking to me.

“I’m sorry I yelled like that.” He said, starting to pace. “It’s just...everything feels like it’s been falling apart all night. The riot, being threatened by Freeze, trying to survive nearly being blown up and eaten alive. And now even Emily’s gone...” He start’s to walk past me while I relax enough to hear his reasons. “...so you see...with all this happening, I found the only best course of action to ensure our safety. Oh wait...did I say ours? My mistake...”

Before I can turn and look at him, He grabs both my wrists and puts them behind my back. I’m too surprised by this, so I don’t have time to react before he puts a pair of handcuffs on both of my wrists. I struggle with them before realizing they won’t break.

“...I meant mine!” Jason says before grabbing me and forcing me to walk with him.

“Jason? Wh-what the hell are you doing?” I ask as he keeps pushing me ahead.

“We all have to make some sacrifices sometimes, Samantha.” He says, both of us now passing the door into Arkham West. “For me it means I don’t end up another sorry dead loser on this island. So that means cutting a deal with the right people.”

Before I can question him more, I see where he’s leading me: back towards the penitentiary. Only he’s not leading me to the door going to where the cells are, the place I met Maxie Zeus in. He’s taking towards the other door, to where I remember Two-Face had been hiding in before when he and Scarface fought.

I struggle, trying to get away from Jason, but he keeps his grip tight around my arms and keeps me going forward. When we finally reach the door he holds me with one hand and knocks on it before holding me again. In a moment it opens, and standing there is none other than Great White Shark. He looks like he did before, only the brims of his vest and shirt have small brunt marks.

“Well, well.” He says, looking at both of us. “What’ve we got here? Dr. Sale right?” he points at Jason. “Yeah I remember you. Couple of times you tried getting in my head.” He then looks at e and says “Ah, the little lady from before. See Tetch’s been having fun with you. But I’ll say this, babe, you look fine in that outfit.”

I recoil in disgust from him before Jason says “I want to talk with him, Warren. Maybe make some kind of deal. ”

Great White only huffs before saying :What makes you think he feels like talking with you of all people?”

Jason only holds me in better view and says “I did him a favor and brought this little bitch. I know he’s been wanting to round up as many people as possible. Just made it a little more easier for him. He should at least give me that.”

White starts scratching his chin before shrugging and saying “Hell, whatever works. Either way this should be fun.”

He opens the door further and Jason pushes me inside. We both follow Great White through a long hallway that reaches another door. He opens that for us and it leads us into the visiting room of the penitentiary. It’s another slender room with a reception desk and a bunch of glasses windows with speakers in the center of them. There are some chairs places here and there too, making it a bit cramped to walk through at times.

He leads us all the way to the back where one of the glasses has been completely broken. He walks through and indicate for us to keep following, leading us to a back area leading to a small door on the left. This leads us into a whole other room, a kind of holding room for those who are ready for visiting hours.

The room is very large, with nothing but open space in the center and holding cells on both the left and right sides of the walls; four for each side. There’s a part of the wall at the back that has more monitors set up on the left side. Once closer I can see they can see over most of the outside areas of the island. Above are a few glass windows in triangular form, going down into a short line. There are also a few rafters where lights are hanging to provide light for the room.

As we pass by each cell, I can see different prisoners. Poison Ivy standing inside hers and holding onto the bars looking out. Mr. Freeze, outside his suit and on the floor of his, a lot of melting ice around the walls and floor of it. The Ventriloquist on the floor of his with his arms outside of the bars and slumped over. And finally Maxie Zeus against the wall of his and sitting on the floor.

And situated at the very end of the room are almost all the other villains I’d run into before. I see Zsasz leaning against the wall and fiddling with one his knife, Two-Face standing on his own and twiddling his coin between his fingers, Firefly standing and holding the Scarface puppet, and Harley Quinn, who’s now in her full costume, who’s standing with Mr. Freeze’s gun in her hand and next to the final member of the little group.

He’s sitting on a self-made throne which is an electric chair that was taking from somewhere else. He’s wearing his iconic purple suit with a green bow tie, white cartoon looking gloves, fancy looking shoes, and even a flower in the pocket of his suit jacket. I look at his face and see his green styled hair, his pale white skin, and that bright red smile that almost looked painted over his lips. I’ve finally come face-to-face with the one who started all of this to begin with: the Joker.

In his right hand I see he’s holding Maxie Zeus’s lightning bolt weapon. And then I see something, or rather someone, that he’s using for a footstool. Just from his appearance I know it’s Warden Sharp. He’s on all fours and support Joker’s feet as he slumps in his chair.

As we get closer, Great White walks up to Joker, who’s talking with Firefly about something. Jason is still behind me and keeping a hand on my shoulder to keep me from going anywhere. I take a moment to look around and hear something above. I gasp and back up a bit when I see Man-Bat, hanging upside down and almost asleep.

“So anyway,” I hear Joker say. “she comes to the door, opens it and then BAM! Right through her. Later I find out the poor girl can’t walk anymore. Guess she’s saving a bundle on shoes now.” He finishes with a giggle.

Great White walks up in front and says “Looks like we got a volunteer looking for some credibility.” He indicates me and Jason.

White steps aside and Joker looks at us and says “Well, looky what we’ve got here. Looks like someone had a little too much tea with old Mr. Funny Hat. Don’t worry though, I’m sure we’ve all had those nights.” He chuckles.

I look back at Jason and say “Jason, what the hell is going on?”

He looks at me, as If barley caring, and says “I told you I found a way out. And right now you’re my only ticket for it. So don’t even try anything, ok? Emily didn’t do any better. I tried to convince her it was the best option, but she just wouldn’t listen. Calling me a moron and crazy for it. Said she was going to report to the cops. But she’s not going to say anything....not anymore.”

With that little statement, I start to realize why Emily did make it.

“You killed her....didn’t you?” I say, looking at him, shocked. “You killed Emily...” Jason doesn’t answer, only looks at me with that same look of anger and desperation. “My god...you...you murdered her!”

“Whoa.” I hear Joker say. “Talk about a plot twist.”