Why So Serious? (Heath Ledger)

Chapter 18

Soon enough the sun started to set, and I knew that there was no way in hell, that I was going to make it to John's funeral.

I sat down with a sigh in a small empty alleyway. Broken beer bottles and trashcans being my only company. I placed my duffle bag on my lap and unzipped the top, digging around for a water bottle.

When I didn't find one, I cursed under my breath and tossed my bag back to the side. Resting my head on it comfortably, staring up at the sky.

As time passed, the sky grew darker, and the thin air colder. All I could wonder, as my eyelids grew heavy, was why the hell was I laying on the cold, hard, concrete ground?

Why the hell was I here, hungry and dehydrated, instead in my soft, warm bed? Stomach full and "hydrated".

I turned my body to the left, now facing the rough brick wall, almost to the point of sleep.
Until I heard voices in the distance, and footsteps, the sound getting louder and closer.

I froze and didn't dare move, not wanting to draw attention to myself. The footsteps drew closer, and slowed down. And I was almost certain they were coming for me. I stood as still as possible, but  nothing happened. I could hear two voices, a man and a women. They were arguing, and I was almost certain they didn't know I was here.

I listened carefully.

"No Adam, stop! Just stop ok!? You can't do this to me. We're going to have a family now? And if you go to them for help, it will all start over again. I thought I'd lost you once, you can't go back again. Please, I beg you!!"

I could hear the women who was talking, sobbing softly under her breathe.

"May, I promise you, this is the only way. This is the only way I will be able to support us. And your right, I've worked for them before, and I was one of their best employees, so they'll let me back. Just please May, I love you. You know that, don't you?"

"Adam, please. Going to the MOB for help won't do this family any good. We can get our money elsewhere."

I heard the man, so called Adam, give a loud, brief sigh.

"May, I'm sorry. But I've made up my mind. Now go home and get some rest. I love you and I'll see you in the morning."

I heard footsteps, (like highheels) coming my way, so I kept still and stayed silent. It must of been the women leaving. I heard a soft sigh and I knew this was my chance.

I quietly turned around and gently got up. The women was standing a couple feet away from me and was facing the opposite direction. By now it was dark outside... the shadows covering me like camoflauge. I felt in my pocket for a knife, and I found just the right one.

Quietly I walked over to the women, but then I flenched and paused in my tracks as a peice of broken glass crushed under my feet, echoing off the alleyway walls.

She turned around, but I couldn't risk my one chance at finding him. I lunged towards her, my right hand holding a knife at her neck.

She screamed a screeching horrified scream and called for her husband.

"Adam!! Adam!!" She tried not to struggle too much.

I put my left hand over her mouth so she'd keep quiet, waiting for her husband to coming running back. My hood still on, blocking out my eyes.

And sure enough, there he came. Footsteps on the cold hard pavement, he was running fast.

"May?" He stopped where he was and his expression became filled with fear. He loved her.

Perfect.

"Please, please let her go, I'll do anything. Please just... don't hurt her."

His expression softened, if only a little, and he fell silent, pleading for mercy with his eyes.

"I want you to tell me everything you know about the MOB. About the Joker. Everything."

He hesitated to speak and I tightened my grip, causing a small whimper of pain from his wife.

"Please!! I don't know anything!"

I frowned.

"Lying will get your wife dead. Now tell me what you know or I'll slit both your throats!"

My harsh words snapped reality into place and he began to speak.

"Listen, please. I haven't been apart of them for many years, so I don't know much about their plans... but my wife, she's pregnant and we needed the money. So I was gonna... I was gonna go back. Word is that their meeting up tonight at an abandoned warehouse. Almost all the important members of the MOB will be there. You have to have an invitation, but here."

His hands shook as he fumbled around in his coat. He showed me a card, the invitation, and placed it on the ground.

"Fine, but if your lying, then I won't stop. I will never stop until you and your wife are dead. But don't worry, I'll be kind enough to kill your baby after you all are dead. Wouldn't want to see that now would you? Now get out of here before I change my mind, and if I were you, I wouldn't leave your wife again."

I let go of the wife and threw her to the ground. Stepping over her body and walking over to pick up the invititaion. The husband quickly ran over to comfort his wife.

He turned his head towards me.

"Who? Who are you? And what would you want with the MOB?!"

I smiled in the shade of my hood.

"Me? Why haven't you heard dear? I'm the Masquerade. And what my plans with the MOB are, is my business."

And with that, I turned away, picked up my bad, and left the alley way. Guess this was it. It was now or never. Tonight, the Joker would die. Once and for all.