Detour From Oz

Chapter 1- The Scarecrow Meets The Lion.

Dr. Jonathan Crane walked into Arkham Asylum in deep thought. He didn't take notice to the patients licking each other's faces and scratching their skin off. All he could think about was the fact that he was getting easy access to human guinea pigs. The very thought of it made him smirk. As he walked through the sterile, white corridors of the asylum, he could feel his heart pumping with excitement. He had had it all planned out: He would work with patients by day and experiment on them by night. He crinkled his nose slightly as he walked past a room that smelled atrocious. The office Jonathan was given came into view after the not so pleasant walk through the ward. A smirk crept on his face after he read his name on the door. With a twist of his wrist, he was stepping through the threshold. The office was quaint and intimate. The walls were painted with an off-white color that made him cringe a little. He shut the door and welcomed the small draft it created when it closed. He slowly strode over to his desk, swept an index finger across it and lifted his finger close to his face to inspect the dust. The miniature dusk particles fluttered away gracefully when he rubbed his index and thumb fingers together. Jonathan didn't even have time to sit down before there was a firm series of knocks on his office door. He gracefully swept across the room and opened the door while forcing a smile.

"Ah, Dr. Jonathan Crane; it is a pleasure to have you working in this fine establishment." An averaged height man wearing a tolerable suit, scuffed shoes, with an attitude to match, waltzed into his office with fake pleasantries. He disregarded the man's false pretense and motioned him to sit before closing the door. The man sat in his chair-the chair for the doctor, leaving Crane to sit in the patient chair. The irony of the situation amused him. The man sat a manila folder in his lap with a 'plop' noise.

"Hello, I am assuming you're Dr. West; we spoke on the phone?" His voice trickled with politeness, but his mind laid elsewhere. Dr. West smiled; fake most likely, but a smile nonetheless.

"At your service...well actually you're here at my service." Dr. West laughs at his own discourteous joke. His laugh was bellowed and obnoxious, that left Jonathan wishing he could give him fear toxin right now so he could turn those laughs in to screams and tears. He snapped out of his murderous daydream when Dr. West cleared his throat and regained himself. "Anyway, I know it's your first day and all, but I am kinda swarming with crazies, ya know?" He paused for a brief second and shifted uncomfortably under Jonathan's emotionless gaze. "Well I have this one girl that I really need your expertise on." Dr. West took the manila folder that has been sitting on his lap and handed it to Jonathan. He opened it and pretends to study the contents of said folder. "Her name is Riley Lenore; a hot piece of ass really...ya know if you look past the whole 'crazy' part." He put up his two index fingers to discredit the word crazy. Jonathan peeks up at the smug Dr. West through his glasses. He snaps the file shut and lays it upon his lap.

"You don't think she is crazy?" He questioned-a little intrigued.

"Nah, she isn't crazy. She admitted herself in here, for reasons no one knows- I mean she said she killed her mom, but honestly that girl is incapable of hurting an ant." That really caught his attention. "Even though she isn't crazy, there is something definitely wrong with her."

"What's wrong with her?"

"What isn't wrong with her?" He leans in closer towards Jonathan's direction and continued. "The girls mute, well not mute; she only talks to certain people; and when she does, it's not much... It all sounds like riddles. She's got this weird thing where she has to have five feet of distance away from people. Don't get me started on this weird thing she does-" Dr. West's phone goes off and Coldplay's 'fix you' starts playing. How fitting. He puts up a 'hold on' finger and walks towards the corner of the room. Jonathan took this time to think of an excuse to rid himself of West. When the arrogant docter got off the phone, Jonathan stood up. West spoke up: "Sorry to cut our conversation short-" Jonathan wasn't. "But I have a matter to attend to. Riley should be here around two." Jonathan looked at his watch and saw that it was only eleven. With that, West took his leave, and left Jonathan to his own devices. He sat in his office chair, which he noted was quite comfortable; and placed the manila folder carefully on his mahogany desk, opening it to reveal the patient coming at two. He decided to get a good sense of his patient before he meets her.