Fear (A Scarecrow Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty

I opened my eyes, staring up at the ceiling while swallowing, my mouth tasting metallic, my tongue sore.  My wrists ached, each heartbeat sending a new wave of pain through both them and my head.  I sat up, making my vision dot with black, leaning against the pillar for support so I wouldn't pass out again.

I could just barely hear Jonathan stirring the chemicals over the ringing in my ears and I looked over.  If he noticed that I had regained conciousness, he didn't show it.

"How long have I been unconscious?"  I looked down at my wrists.

"Awhile."

The skin had clearly split open again, new scabs formed, blood still oozing out of the few places that hadn't yet scabbed over.  Blood was everywhere: on my arms, on my clothes, on the floor where I had passed out, in my hair.  It was no wonder why I still felt light headed.  I found myself staring at the cuffs left lying nearby, suddenly amazed by the thought of walking across the room.

Slowly, I tried to stand up, using the pillar to steady me as I swayed.  I stood there, trying to regain my balance before I let go, not wanting to fall on my face.  When I felt like I had stopped swaying, I took a step, letting my hand slide off the pillar as I carefully moved forward.  I walked to the wall where the barrels had been before carefully walking back, grabbing the pillar as I got dizzy again.

Wanting a drink, I looked over to where the tray was, seeing it was no longer there.  Garret must've come by and got it.  I looked towards the door, wondering if I could leave.  Even if I were allowed, I was certain I wouldn't be able to make it to a sink or some other place where I could get some water.  Chances were that I would get through the door just to pass out there.

"I'm thirsty," I told Jonathan despite knowing he wouldn't help me.

He didn't respond, continuing to work.  I sank to the floor, deciding to lie down in the hopes that my head would stop spinning.  It was funny that after lying on concrete for weeks, I found Jonathan's presence in the room more uncomfortable than the cold floor.  All he ever did was come in here to mix some chemicals together.  The only sound there was to break the silence was the glass clinking as Jonathan stirred its contents.  It was just as bad as there being no sound at all.

"Why do you make it in small quantities?"  I asked, watching him.

He didn't look away from his work, "I only have the equipment to make small amounts at one time right now."

"Why not take over Ace Chemicals or someplace where you have access to the equipment you need?"

"And get Batman's attention?"  He asked, picking up a pipette to measure out some chemicals and add it to the mixture, "Right now, I need to prepare, so I can't have him knocking at my door.  Besides, I'm the only one who knows how to make fear toxin and I can't have some buffoons adding too much of one chemical, not enough of another, and screwing up a batch."

I rolled my eyes, sighing, "It's going to take you forever to prepare anything that way."

He chuckled in response and I frowned at him, trying to figure out what that meant.  I had read enough from his file back at the Asylum to know enough about the fear toxin.  If he was making a liquefied verson, it would take hundreds of barrels of the fear toxin to spread around Gotham unless he poisoned the water supply again.

I didn't imagine he was going to repeat something he had already done, but his laugh had to mean that I was wrong.  My thoughts wandered back to the barrels as I tried to guess what he would do with it and how much more he needed.  The silence stretched on and by the time Jonathan walked out of the room, I still couldn't think of how he planned on dispersing the fear toxin throughout the city.

I sat up, growing frustrated, deciding to attempt leaving the room despite still feeling dizzy.  Using the pillar for support, I stood up once again, allowing myself a few moments for the room to stop spinning before letting go of the pillar and walking toward the door.