CHAPTER 1
I smiled as I laid on my bed tired but happy, I had just returned from a local club where I went to celebrate my new found job, I was lucky not to get drunk I didn't want any hangovers tomorrow, I held a small party there with my friends which by the way were no more than five, It was held in a private room in the club, was pretty expensive but worth it, I had just gotten a job as a psychiatrist at a mental institute, it was a huge deal for me, it had always been a long time dream not really a popular choice among my peers, but it made me happy either way.
I took my new ID card on my dresser and looked at it for the tenth time today, it had Arleen Samuels written boldly on it, I was to start work tomorrow which was my reason for leaving the club early, I suddenly felt hot and dizzy but I decided to sleep it off, I slept not so soundly but hoping for a great day at work tomorrow.
PAIN! That was the first thing I felt when I woke up, 'Arggghhh did I fall down again?' I thought out loud and to no surprise I was on the floor, I tried standing but the pain wouldn't let me, it was even worse than I imagined, my room was dark I had no recollection of switching off the lights before I slept yesterday, i had other important things to worry about for now, I stood up weakly after staggering a few times and walked to the direction of the bathroom which was open, maybe I wasn't seeing clearly but I'm pretty sure my bathroom wasn't in the right side of my bedroom and it definitely didn't look like the way it did now, 'Was I kidnapped?' I quickly went to wash my face I looked into the mirror and got the shock of my life.
The person staring back at me in the mirror wasn't me, it was somebody else's, I washed my face again and looked back at the mirror but I didn't see me anywhere, I screamed but quickly covered my mouth I had no idea where I was so I needed to be very careful, I looked at the mirror once more and examined the face looking back at me, she had bruises here and there on her face, but overlooking the bruises and black eye lied a beauty, she had blue eyes, a perfect diamond shaped face, her lips were enticing too, she had blond hair with blue and pink tips and a tattoo on the side of her face which had one letter 'J', 'Wait, the letter J? Blond hair? Blue and pink tips? Was I Harley Quinn?!'
That shocking realization came crashing down on me like a huge rock and I fell to the ground, I suddenly had a huge migraine as emotions that I didn't belong to me hit me, I felt every pain and sadness she felt, I felt anger and shame, yet an overwhelming feeling of love for the cause of the pain, Joker
I felt terrible for her, she suffered a lot just to stay by his side and got nothing in return just pain and sadness, I could imagine her giving up, her every hurt bore its way to my flesh, Joker was too cruel for hurting the only woman who truly loved him even with his flaws, he had really lost something precious as she's dead now and I have taken her place, and nothing is going to stop me from being free from his clutches, If there is a difference between Harley and I it is the fact that I'm not obsessed about a man who doesn't deserve me and I desire my freedom, On behalf of a woman who left her reality for a man, I was going to return that reality and let her become her own woman, her own person, one without a master, Harley Quinn the Crown Princess of crime and a rival to Joker, I started to feel a little bit better and stood up to examine the face before me 'Oh you poor thing' she was not only bruised on her face, her body was filled with injuries.
I wanted to just hit Joker in the face, I couldn't stand it, it's probably going to take some time before the wounds heal, Joker was going to pay for her pain but first I had to get out of this mad house to some place Joker won't find me.
I washed my face again and went out, The stench of blood hit me immediately and I tried looking for the switch, I found the switch and turned on the lights, the room was a total mess, blood stains here and there, torn up pictures and clothes, knives, broken bottles, something terrible happened in here and the answer was obvious, Joker hit her and judging by the stench of blood, she was left here for days It's no wonder she died and I transmigrated.
I removed the torn clothes I was wearing and wrapped a towel which luckily didn't have blood stains on it around my body, I wanted to have my bath so my already weak body would feel a little bit better, I suddenly heard footsteps and an angry voice calling "Harley!" I felt a sting in my heart as I realized who it was, Joker himself, so many questions attacked my head at that point, I had no recollection of Harley activities before now, I had to rely on the comics and movies I had watched, what if he found out? I'll be gone as soon as I came, I have no choice but to pretend because my life is literally depending on it, it was at that point that the door opened to reveal Joker in all his glory.
I was star struck for a moment, Joker wasn't like in the comics at all, he was quite the opposite, pale skin, the iconic clown make up which looked like it was almost washed up, he had the purple suit on with the green shirt underneath, few buttons were loose and the iconic green hair, he looked like a male god and I'd literally drool if not for the fact that he looked at me with bloodshot eyes ready to kill me if I wasn't careful.
"Puddin! You're here, I knew you would come back" I went to hug him but he hit me with an extreme anger, if I hadn't balanced myself I would have surely hit my head on the concrete floor and that would have been the end, "You idiotic bitch! Why didn't you feed the hyenas when I ordered you to do so three days ago?" 'Probably because she was dead' I thought "Puddin i--" "Shut up Harley! I don't want to hear your filthy talk it seems I haven't taught you well, you want to be going against me huh? Do u know how it cost me? They nearly ate the men on the way to rob the Gotham bank and get Bat's attention, they nearly flipped the car over, they wouldn't sit still and it's your fault you stupid bitch"
I was dumb folded but said nothing, "I am going to teach you a lesson then next time you'll think twice before disobeying me" he said as he got a belt and began to hit me, I couldn't even scream, the pain was excruciating, old wounds opened up and new ones appeared, after he was satisfied he then carried me to the bed, anyone could figure out what he was about to do 'No!' I thought but was unable to say anything as my whole body as numb from the pain and I was already too weak to even speak even though I tried to struggle, it was futile, it was already late as he broke me.
After he was done, he left the room without looking back, I was in extreme pain but still managed to get up, I finally washed up, I wondered how long it has been, I suddenly wanted to go back to my own universe, I was already damaged enough, I imagined Harley going through this humiliation every time the Joker wasn't pleased, it was saddening.
I quickly took a shirt and a short and went out of the room for the first time; turns out I was in something like an underground Jail because by the time I left the dark hall I found myself in a mansion, everything really spelt Mafia, guards in every post, pictures of guns, clownish wallpaper and gloomy hall pictures. My stomach rumbled as I tried to find the kitchen.
"Harley?" a deep voice called me from behind, as I turned I saw a tall brown haired man, Johnny Frost, Joker's right hand man and Harley's only friend among Joker's henchmen, obviously he was the only one who would call her like that the others hardly talked to her unless when she was to be called for by the Joker, "Hey Frost" I tried to smile and put up the Harley Quinn act but my jaw was hurting and I could only wince in pain, he looked at me with pity in his eyes and said "Follow me" and led me straight to the kitchen, at this point words couldn't express my gratitude.
"Sit" he said while pointing to the kitchen chair, I obeyed instantly, he went to the cabinet and brought out a first aid kit and dropped it in front of me "I would have applied it for you but you know the rules Joker would have both our heads if he misunderstands" I nodded, I understood perfectly, a man like Joker wouldn't give anyone a chance to explain and probably wouldn't even believe us if we did, I started to apply the medicine.
"You must be hungry" Frost said to which I nodded " I'll make some Oats for you, you can't really eat anything solid because of your jaw, looks like it will take some time to heal" he stood up to get the oats, while it is true that injuries like my injured jaw will take some to heal for an average person probably a month or so but for Harley who thanks to Poison Ivy has an enhanced healing powers far above an average human the injuries should take about a week or less to heal.
Frost dropped the oats in front of me which I ate slowly but greedily, I was so hungry, Frost doesn't talk much, but could see the questioning look he gave me almost like he was asking why I was still here despite the torture I receive from Joker, but obviously he was no one to judge after all he is too loyal to Joker too despite the fact that Joker could waste him at any time. I didn't know if to trust Frost but I had to risk it, he is still the only one who interacts with me well after all he and Harley are loyal to the same person but I wondered how he would take it if he found out I wanted to run away, I can only risk it, I looked at him and said "Frost I want to leave the Joker" Frost didn't say anything for a while and stared at me for a long time, "I thought you loved the Joker" "I love him but I want to leave him" I felt a sting in my heart as I said those words seems Harley is still madly in love with him, 'I'm sorry Harley but I am doing this for your sake, I want to live, forgive me but I'm going to have to do this'
Frost looked really surprised "Wow I never expected that to come from someone obsessed about Joker" "Frost I might want to leave him but it doesn't change the fact that I'm in love with him hell I would even die for him at this point, I crave for his love but if I can't have it I understand, he doesn't love anyone but himself, I'll watch him and protect him from the shadows, I will still be his shield" I felt disgusted as I lied 'shield my foot if I get out of here I'm living for me and only me', Frost went silent for a minute "So will you help me?" "Why me? I might as well just tell Joker about it and let him deal with matter" "you could I'm not stopping you, I'd either be dead or I leave either way I won't be here anymore" Frost sighed and said "Harley I am loyal to Joker though I won't lie I didn't see you as much when we first met, you really warmed your way into my heart, which is why I want you to go as far away as you can but only this once Harley, I can't betray Joker twice, me making an exception now doesn't mean I'll help you out again okay?" I smiled I understood.
Frost was really loyal to Joker I wondered why sometimes but I was really happy he was helping me out even though it was this once "Thank you Frost" I remembered a certain someone who would really be of help "Do have any idea where Ivy is now?" "Poison Ivy? Are you kidding me Harley? Don't you remember? She's at Arkham Asylum, When she found out how Joker was treating you and how you refused to leave his side, she got really pissed and foiled Joker's plan every single time, this of course infuriated him and laid a trap for her but using you as bait and the Bat got her, you made a scene and got beaten and locked in the basement for the past week, I almost surprised you made it out alive but it happened just last week how can you not have a recollection of it" 'Ok my secret is about to be exposed, think Arleen think' "I lost my memories" I said the first thing that came to me "You lost your memories?" he asked suspiciously I was sure he would soon take me for an imposter "Yes I did, I lost my memories, Joker must have hit my head so hard and I blacked out for the week I woke up today, I lost at least a month worth memories" "Really? Prove it, what's the secret only Harley and I know" 'Well I wouldn't call it a secret every reader of Harley comics knows everything about you including the secrets' "You got drunk at a party and had a make out session with one of the guys in the bathroom despite being a straight guy" I smiled and he went red.
"Ok, you are Harley alright, I guess the shock of losing your best friend and support really pushed you" I looked at him pleadingly he already knew what I wanted "Don't worry I won't tell him if he doesn't ask" he said and coughed "So what now?" "Escape" I said and Frost looked surprised and said "Escape?" "Yes, I can't take it anymore in this hell hole, one more hit and I'm a goner" his phone dinged at that minute he checked it and placed it back in his pocket "Well whatever you plan just let me know I have to go know Joker needs my attention, come I'll show you to your new room" he said and stood.
I followed him to a new room and for the first time in what seemed like centuries I had a good night sleep.