MURDER BALLAD
o. DEATH BY LAUGHTER

          IF YOU EVER HEAR ANYTHING WEIRD, Vera. You hide. Don't look for me, or Dedushka. Hide and wait for me to find you, okay? I'll always find you.

          Verochka bit down on her lip, being curled in a ball underneath the loosen wood planks of her room. She shivered from the cold, her fingers ached from splinters caught on her skin, the cement too hard to find comfort. Her mother's words replayed on her head, gentle and comforting. The panic that had settled in her stomach melted away. She'll find her, she always did.

          The Volkov's weren't a normal family, she knew that. Verochka was taught from an early age to hide when something seemed out of place, or when to stick closer to Ivan ( her bodyguard. ) It was only recently that she started to notice the dangers of it. Shootings, police visits, family members in-and-out of jail. She was sheltered for most of it, but her childhood innocence was slipping away bit by bit.

          It seemed strange for Verochka to hear laughter at three in the morning. She had been sleeping, but a pin drop was able to wake her from any slumber. Usually she wouldn't be bothered by it, either ignoring it or whoever was making noise having a conscience and being quiet. Living in Dedushka's mansion in the outskirts of Gotham, people came and went at any hour of the day. But right now, they were far from Gotham.

          Anytime they were in Russia, it was family time. She loved coming here, for the simplicity of spending time with her family without interruption. Verochka could pretend she didn't have Ivan shadowing her, that it was only her and her cousin Inessa while they skated in the frozen lake of their property. Hiding wasn't needed when they were on the "Motherland," according to Dedushka. The Manor's grounds were vast and beautiful, giving them privacy. Reaching the edge, the carefully treated garden meshed with the Taiga forest. The harsh temperatures and bitter wind had never stopped her from venturing near it, her mother's worried yells stopping her before entering the wild.

          Verochka had regretted her hiding spot minutes after settling herself. the wood panels she was underneath didn't let her hear anything. She debated on looking for another hiding spot, but if there was something to hide from it was best she stayed put. And she did. For hours, she waited for someone to come find her. It was getting harder to breathe, and the hole under her bed didn't seem roomy anymore.

          Nervously blowing air out of her lungs, Verochka pressed her hand on the wood above her with intentions of getting out. Her fingers tranced the edges of the plank, seeking the minuscule hole that allowed her to pull it out of place. Finding her escape, she poked her pinky finger through it and pushed away from her. It didn't budge. Verochka inhaled sharply, panic clouding her judgment. This is why her mother always told her to test her hide-outs, and she had never listened. She pushed again, and again. The plank remained unmoving.

          Swallowing harshly, her breath came out labored. Verochka couldn't see anything. The space was too small. Shifting her position, she placed her bare feet on the plank and pushed with all her might. Nothing. "Mom!" Verochka called frantically, banging the wood with her arms once again. "Mommy, I'm here! I can't get out!"

          Verochka didn't know if her call for help could be heard, as she couldn't hear anything from the outside. Still, that didn't stop her from continuing to yell. Her banging on the wood remained unwavering, pushing aside the pain that came with each blow. But she was only human, and if she was able to see in the dark ,Verochka was sure her knuckles would be raw red.

          Panting, she stopped her efforts on the plank. Mom will find you, Verochka told herself, She always does. Coming to terms with the facts, she settled to wait another few hours. She didn't let tears come to her eyes. If she was found crying by anyone other than her mother, they would classify her as a crybaby.

          Then, finally answering to her pleas, Verochka felt vibrations of the wooden floor. Footsteps, getting nearer and nearer to her. In relief, she banged the planks a couple of times. "I'm over here!" she to her unknown saver, "under the bed!"

          The whole floor vibrated, she realized they were moving the bed to pull her out. She could feel her heartbeat on her throat, anxious for freedom. Small spaces had never bothered her before, but the lack of control in a situation did. Her mom had muttered angrily many times against that trait of hers, just like her father, she always said. Of course, she hadn't counted on Verochka being able to hear her. Those were probably the only times her father was ever mentioned.

          The wooden plank was ripped open. Her hands flew to her eyes, hiding them from the harsh light that flooded in. She blinked rapidly, adjusting her eyes, and just when her vision came back to her a maniacal laugh cut through the air. Cruel, high-pitched, and hysterical. She finally looked up, realizing her mistake immediately. Verochka recognized him from the news. This was no savior coming for her, it was her death.

          "Goody!" He said, full of joy. Verochka looked frantically for an escape, but there was none. All she saw was bright green hair, chalk-white skin, and ruby red lips. His smile, stretched out unnaturally and demonically, will haunt her forever. The smell of chemicals burned her nose. He let out another hysterical laugh, most probably at her terrified expression. A camera was being held up by his right hand, pointing at her, while his left held his stomach as he doubled over. "Now I know why my count was off, this little one was trying to hide away! Isn't that funny?"

          The Joker reached down. The initial shock washed away. Verochka screamed as his white hand grabbed her arm. His laugh synced with her screams. He hauled her to stand, directing the camera straight to her face. "Come on, it's your time to play!"

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NOTES. there's the prologue. shitty & short but i hate prologues wtvr. just so you know, verochka has beef w everyone and everything.