Batman Begins/Dark Knight Joker

Prologue

"John!" Mum came running over to me and the clown. When she reached us she knelt down and scooped me up into her arms. "Oh thank god you found him! Thank you so so much! I dread to think what could have happened to him if you hadn't found him." The clown laughed and shook his head.

"Ahh, no need for thanks, Marie, me and the little champ were just about to make some balloon animals. Say, d'you know where Pete is? I wanted to ask him to keep these free tickets… er, on the quiet side? Save me getting a slap on the wrist from the higher ups." The clown winked at mum as he lit a cigarette.

"Er, well we were just going to go on the rollercoaster, but we need to find the kids play area so we don't lose him again. D'you know where it is?" The clown nodded his head,

"Oh yeah, I know where it is, it's the other end of the fairground. Why don't you just leave the boy with me? That way he can see his mommy and daddy on the rollercoaster. Can't you champ?" he leaned over and ruffled my hair up, meanwhile breathing out that horrible smell and a puff of smoke which went straight into my mouth, making me cough.

"Well, I suppose it's ok, as long as it's no problem to you…"

"Nahh, course it ain't a problem! Me and the boy were getting on really well before you found us. Anyway, we'd best get moving, c'mon, it's nearly closing time." And with that, he started waddling off towards the rollercoaster, with me and mum following closely behind.

When we reached the rollercoaster mum put me back on the ground. "Now, I want you to hold the clown's hand, and I don't want you to let go until mummy and daddy come and get you, ok?" I nodded my head solemnly,

"Ok mummy." as I grasped the clown's hand tightly. I watched as mum walked over to dad, who was waiting by the entry gate. They climbed into the front cart on the rollercoaster and clasped hands. The clown picked me up and put me on his shoulders so I could wave at them. They looked over and waved back, then the rollercoaster started its steady climb to the top of the rail. I watched as the rollercoaster went round the track, once, twice, then as it reached the top for the third time, there was a slight change in the screams of the passengers, the screams turned from excited to terrified. I heard the clown gasp as we watched the carts fly off the track, straight into the next ride along, the spinning teacups. The clown quickly pulled me down off his shoulders and held my hand. He looked down at me with a horrified look in his eyes.

"Oh my god… What should I do?" Slowly, he seemed to calm down. "Err, c'mon kid, let's go get you an ice cream." I resisted,

"But what about waiting for mummy and daddy?" The clown looked over at the carnage where the carts had crashed

"Err, they're a bit busy at the moment kid, we can come and get them later. C'mon now." So I followed the clown, holding his hand. As we walked away I turned and saw the man's cigarette on the floor, where he'd dropped it. I watched as a curl of smoke drifted up from it, and saw as an even bigger plume of smoke swirled up from the direction of the teacup ride. The smoke swirled up higher and higher, spreading like a blanket over the sky.

It was late, and the hospital was lit up like a beacon. People had been rushing around for hours. Nurses, doctors, it seemed all the staff had been called in for this emergency at the fairground. There were so many injured because of the rollercoaster, but many more were dead. The waiting room was full of families and friends all waiting to hear about people who'd been admitted after the accident. Yet there was a pair in the corner, seemingly separate from the rest of the visitors. A clown and a young boy, the boy was no more than five years old, with sandy coloured hair and brown eyes, fairly skinny, and looking quite gaunt. But that was to be expected with his poor background. The child sat next to the clown, tears running down his face, sniffling quietly. The clown was slumped in his chair, nearly asleep, with his makeup smudged and his hair looking slightly matted and greasy.

"Excuse me, sir?" I looked up, it was a police lady, talking to the clown man. Not important. Mum and Dad, they were important. But the doctor had said I wasn't able to see them. Why? Were they hurt? No, that couldn't be it. Nothing could hurt dad, and while dad was with mum, nothing could hurt mum either. So why couldn't I see them? Slowly, the conversation between the clown and the police lady began to seep through.

"Does he have any relatives he can live with?"

"No, his parents had no siblings, and his grandparents died before he was born."

"What's your relation to him then?"

"Me? I'm just a friend of his father."

"Well, I'm going to have take him to the orphanage, let me take down your contact details so that we know where to find you." Again, the conversation faded into the background. An orphanage? What was that? Where was it? I don't want to leave mum and dad. Why can't this silly police lady understand that? Wait, she's saying something to me. What is it? I can't hear her properly. She shakes her head sadly and picks me up. I try to struggle, but I can't move. She carries me through the waiting room to one of the police cars outside, and places me in the back seat. She walks round the car and climbs into the driver's seat. The car door slamming seems to knock me out of this foggy feeling. I can move again! I quickly turn and look back at the hospital as we drive off. It's raining heavily. Standing outside the hospital is the clown man, shoulders slumped, drenched, watching the police car drive away.


End file.

Batman Begins/Dark Knight