Young Writers Society

Welcome to Gotham City's Institute of the mentally insane. You will be required to wear a straight Jacket unless you prove that you can be trusted. There are a couple rules that I (Dr. Hillbert) will need to set down.

1.No cursing.

2.No sex. romance scenes are allowed.


Please enjoy your stay!


Dr. Hillbert

Layla Watts
A 16 yr old girl with a split personality

What? No, no, no - this couldn't be happening! I'd had bad experiences with psych wards before, but this was a new level of messed up. How I'd been transferred to freaking Gotham was a mystery to me.
"Enjoy your stay." That's what they said... before leaving me surrounded by some of the world's most infamous villains to rot! That was assuming my fellow inmates didn't get me first.
I lay on a bed with no covers, shivering. There was no blanket to hide under from the harsh white light, or whoever strayed this way. Would it really have killed them to put a sheet over me? Immediately, I noticed the stifling limit to my range of movement. Goddamn strait-jacket.
An irritating, laminated bracelet had been clapped around my right wrist. If it weren't for my arms being pinned by my sides, I would've torn the thing off, or at least tried. The smell of citrus disinfectant was so strong, it burned my nostrils like acid. Oh, the place said 'hospital', alright, but not 'inviting'.
Now, I started to remember. I'd been told that someone would come round and evaluate me after I was settled. Been there, done that, and it wasn't pleasant. Maybe this time, they'd let me plead my case, providing the doctors weren't as insane as the patients. When it came to my mental state... things were complicated.
I kicked and screamed automatically in response to my situation, catching my foot on the metal bed frame with a clang. On second thoughts, acting calm and stopping to regain a somewhat normal breathing rhythm seemed wiser. Attempting to manoeuvre into a more comfortable position only resulted in me falling off of the bed.
"Thump!"
Once I hit the floor, I was stuck. Even more embarrassing was the fact that I was about to be seen, helpless, by whoever was rather loudly going about unlocking the door, as if they just wanted me to know of their presence...

The Joker


"I witnessed the funniest thing today. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!! This young girl tried to get out of her straight jacket and . . . fell off her cot!!!! Now that's funny officer!"

"Shut it clown."


I reached further into the inside of my straight jacket and found a knife. I cut open my straight jacket and lunged at the officer and pinned him to the ground.

"As my Plastic Surgeon said, If you gotta go, go with a smile!"

I carved a smile into his face. The girl across the hall screamed!

"You want a smile too?"

She immediately shut up. I then opened everyone's cell. Including hers.

"Tell me something. Have you seen Jackie sharp?"

Mercy
Layla's alter ego/counterpart

You realise you've truly lost it when you're adamant that none other than The Joker is standing before you.
"Jackie Sharp?" I said. "No, I only just got here, so I don't know anyone. Haven't even been evaluated yet."
"You do know that the evaluation's worth -"
"Jack squat," I finished. "Yeah."
'We don't need to repeat the experience,' I thought.
'I don't want to. If they're that desperate to keep us, they'll lie anyway.' Inside my (her?) head, Layla heard all I was thinking, and most importantly she had the ability to respond. It worked both ways, too.
Joker smiled - actually smiled. "I like you. What do I call you, missy?"
"It's Mercy," I told him. "Close, but not quite."
"Walk with me... the diversion won't last long."
"Diversion?" I asked, confused.
So I was also secretly stalling for time - sue me! I didn't think I could be blamed for not wanting to take my chances against that lot. This body was technically Layla's, so I didn't want to be responsible for endangering it while I had control.
He steered me towards the door. "We're going to find my daughter. That's basically why I let everyone out. By the way, I only want to talk to her. And you."
We walked out into the corridor where patients were swarming, pooling in unnervingly large crowds. I wasn't allowed a sheet, for fear I'd hang myself with it, but any number of them could be armed!
Explain how that works, or how I was meant to feel safe.
"So, you're the girl who fell off the bed earlier," he said with interest.
"Actually I'm not," I replied truthfully.
He thought about it for a moment. "Let me guess - personality disorder?"
"For argument's sake, that's right. You can tell that Hillbert is just gonna love me."
"Hmm... a normal kid like you doesn't get thrown in here for no reason. How'd you end up in the big leagues?"
"You mean comic book land?" I snickered, unapologetic for my trademark sarcasm. "I daresay someone sent me here, with no intention of me making it out alive."
Joker scanned the faces around us as we walked for the girl - this Jackie - whom he apparently needed to speak to. It had now been about ten minutes since all the doors were opened. I didn't know Jackie's face, but I spotted a white coat when it came along easy enough.
"Fun's over!" a stern male voice bellowed. The doctor.
Guards came and went, subduing everyone who resisted and taking them back to their cells. I flattened myself against the wall to wait this out. When there were no other patients left in the corridor, I saw that Dr Hillbert hadn't moved either.
"I understand that you are new here, young lady..."

The Joker


"Doctor? I thought I'd never see you again. You're just in time for the party!"

"What party?"

I then pulled my trusty knife out and HAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! Sorry it's just that the bat ruined my party but I had almost killed him. I was soooo close but then he ruined my fun. . .

Lily-16-'Sees Ghosts'

I grumbled as I was locked in my room in the mental institute or whatever they called. They tell me they've put me in here for seeing things but I know better. They're not hallucinations they're ghosts. They're mostly nice and I talk to them sometimes. In fact I met a nice one in that room. "Hello!" I said to it happily and asked it some questions about this place. From what the ghost said I wasn't sure I was gonna like it here. That's when I heard a laugh, a very evil one. "Who was that?" I asked my ghostly friend. They told me it was the Joker and he was totally bonkers.

The Joker




As I was shoved back into my cell I saw a young girl looking about 16 talking to mid air! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!! I decided to drop the girl's happy attitude,


"Wanna know how I got these scars?"


She turned and stared looking scared! Just the way I like things.


"My father was . . . a drinker. He came home one night more drunk than usual and mommy got the kitchen knife . . . he didn't like that. So he took the kitchen knife, turned to me and asked, "Why so serious?" Then he carved a smile into my face!HAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!! "

Then i turned to Lyla/ Mercy and said,

"Now let's have the party begin!"

She immediately slipped out of her straight jacket and pulled out a gun. She unlocked my cell and i smiled really quite wide . . . I turned to the strange girl who talks to mid air and unlocked her cell. She wouldn't budge.

"I'm not going to kill you . . ."

She stepped out.

"I think."

She quivered like an arrow . . .

Layla

I thrust the gun, safety on, at Joker. "You don't know how to talk to people." To the girl, who looked about my age, I said, "Don't worry, he's not as scary as he looks."
"I'm not the only thing to be scared of round here, sweetie," smirked Joker.
"I - I know," the girl shuddered, retreating into her cell again. I followed her in, slamming the door in Joker's face.
"My name's Layla. What’s yours?" I asked gently. "I know how frightening this all must be... it's not my first time."
To prove my point, I rolled up my sleeves, showing her my wrists and their ugly bruising. All from abuse at the hands of people like those holding us here. Memories began to resurface, dragging me closer to the past and tears.
The young girl played with her hair, looking down, but not so much that I couldn't see her look of curiosity. Ironically, I probably seemed as vulnerable as she was at this point.
"I'm Lily," the girl replied. "You wouldn't believe why I'm here..."
"Try me."
Stupid! Why did I not take the key on the way in? The lock rattled, and I just knew we were locked inside.

Lily-16-'Sees Ghosts'
"They say I hallucinate but really." I leaned forwards and said softly "I can see the ghosts!" I gestured around me "Like these ones!" Then I realised what happened "Wait did he lock us in?" I said panicked "Maria said her was bonkers!"

The Joker



I had locked those puny brained girls out so they could have their girly talks! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!! I needed to find my Jackie! On my way I saw this very interesting girl. She screamed when she saw me! So I pinned her up against a wall with a knife to her throat.

"Have you heard of Jackie Sharp?"

"Yes! Please let me go!"

"Where is she?"

"In Gotham City Academy!"

"Tell me more . . ."

"She's a new student!"

"I'll tell you what. If you spy on her for me I'll let you keep your pitiful life . . ."

"Fine!"

"Tell me girl. What is your name?"

"Madeline."

"Then go Madeline."

"I'll keep in touch!"

Then I let her go. And pulled out my tracking device . . .

Layla

"We're spoiling the party," I said.
"Oh my god, he really is crazy," replied Lily. "If he took the key, then no one but him can get into this room, just as we can't get out."
By now, I had to wonder at the irony that it shouldn't be the doctors locking me up and throwing away the key. They tried that before in the last place, and I escaped. Figured that a patient would succeed where they had failed...
"This is a place for nutjobs and villains. Nothing here has rhyme or reason."
"Okay, if we're stuck in here, then let's talk," said Lily. "What did they say about you, to put you away?"
"Schizophrenia - nothing too specific. It's true I have a split personality, though. You'll meet Mercy, my counterpart, at some point. At times she takes over."
Lily backed away nervously. Maybe that wasn't the most tactful way to present my - um - condition.
"Lily, wait!" I cried. "I believe your story, so please believe me when I say that I won't hurt you. Think about it - wouldn't I have done something already if that was really my intention?"
"I suppose.... It's just that everything in this place is so hostile and cold," she sobbed.
"It makes you feel smaller than a dust mite, when all you want is to be considered. Trust me, I know."
That look of curiosity was back on Lily's face, and the interest in my past seemed to perk her up a little bit.
"Have you been here before? Was that how you -?" She pointed at my wrists, which were now covered again.
"No. Another institution transferred me here. The scars are from the treatment I was given," I recalled bitterly.

Lily-16
"That's horrible!" Lily said sadly "Will they do that to me?" She then laughed bitterly "I guess they can do nothing to us if we're locked in here!"

The Joker






I slowly walked back towards the hallway, where the girls were having their girly talks. I opened the door. They stopped their conversation and backed away. I just laughed.

"I'll tell you what."

"What do you want clown??"

"Let's not be harsh here. I don't want split personality girl getting bloody here . . ."

Mercy

"I had trust issues before, and I was getting over them," I said. "Now it's back to square bloody one!"
This time, I wasn't too bothered if no one knew that it was me in control.
"Yes, yes - I think you should guess what lovely new toy we've got out there," replied Joker, laughing manically.
"You're only gonna tell me, so get it over with, clown."
"Very well. I found your records, and I know what you were treated with..."
"Dehumanising disrespect?" I retorted. "Well done."
"You well know what I'm referring to." he hissed. "What Aiden did to you..."
My breathing became deep and ragged. That name brought pain, fear and sadness in equal measures. My knees went weak at the very mention of it. He must have gone through Layla's records, if he knew that.
"Who's Aiden, Layla?" ventured Lily cautiously. Poor thing was completely in the dark.
"The doctor who she was under before," Joker told her matter-of-factly. "He used electroshock therapy to treat her."
"Get your facts straight," I spat. "HE TORTURED ME!"
Lily gasped in horror. "I - I had no idea..." she faltered.
"It's alright, Lily. How could you have known?"
The Joker soon cut in. "I also found out where the machine here is. You're going to help me if you don't wish to relive the experience," he threatened.
"With what?"
I tried to look strong, but I was really petrified.

The Joker



"You are going to help me find Jackie Sharp."

"I don't know-"

"I do."


I stared at lily.

"Please, tell me more . . ."

"No. She's my friend."

"Well she's my daughter."

They stared at me mouths wide open. I then walked backwards out the door and locked them out again . . .

"I'll be right back . . ."


I pulled in a VERY heavy machine in. I was surprised with my own strength. Layla/ mercy slowly backed away. Lily followed. I just laughed! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

"Get that thing away from us!"

"You're going to help me then."

"No!"

I reached behind me and pulled out my handy dandy laughing gas . . .

"It will probably kill you, but in the meantime it will leave you helpless! HAHAHAHAAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"