Stitches || Scarecrow

Part 1: Fear

Ch. 1

Her false parents lied about loving her. Her father left, and her mother threw her away like trash two years later. Like a ragdoll that a child no longer loves, and gets rid of. Then the tears come, dripping down her pale cheeks. The pain stabbed at her heart with every breath she took.

"Never loved, never belonging." the voice mocked.

She grabbed her head in her hands, rocking back and forth.

"Shut up." she responded in her head.

"Make me."

"Just leave me alone!" she cried.

"You invented me because you're afraid of being alone. First I was just a name you called your doll, then I evolved into a voice in your head named Ragdoll by you." Ragdoll said smugly.

More tears fell, as her nails drove into her skull, getting tangled in her long brown hair. Just more pain to add to the list.

"Come on Jewels. Accept me. If it weren't for me being here, you would be alone in this white padded cell. Forever insane in Arkham. So poetic, I might add."

"Don't call me that name."

"Jewels? But it's your name."

"No my name is Julia. Only my father called me that."

Julia clenched her teeth. Accidentally cutting her tongue in the process. Blood soon filled her mouth, tasting like metal.

"Just go!" she hissed at Ragdoll.

"Then get rid of me! But you won't..."

They sat in silence for a bit.

"Ok I'm sorry Julia. Now can I say something of importance?"

"And what would that be?" Julia replied sarcastically.

"We were supposed to get a new doctor today remember?!"

"You're right." Julia realized. "No one has come yet."

"I wonder who it could possibly be. After all, all the other doctors called us a lost cause."

She winced remembering all the doctors at once. Dr.Robert acted like she was garbage. Dr.Ray basically ignored her. Dr.Cabbage was on the bright side of everything. And then suddenly there were more doctors everywhere, surrounding her. All smiling and saying-

"You're nothing."

"No wonder your parents abandoned you. You're worthless."

"You're insane. That's why you are at Arkham. That's why you created Ragdoll-"

Julia shut her eyes tightly. Now using her hands to cover her ears. Tears still falling freely. She sat huddled in the corner as she tried to drown out the voices coming from all angles.

"You can't run from them." Ragdoll whispered. "You can only fight them."

"I can't."

Everything overlapped. The noise consumed her, and then she sank to darkness. Darkness was the only savior here.

...

She heard the door open with a creak, and quickly sat up, legs curled under her. She wished they'd get rid of the orange jumpsuit she wore, it was an irritating color.

She watched with her hazel eyes wide open, as a man with slightly touseled brown hair came in. His eyes were a startling blue, slightly hidden by his glasses. His suit was crisp and clean, with a briefcase in his hand. He must be the new doctor.

"Hello." he paused. "Are you well today?"

Julia tilted her head to the side in confusion. She felt fine.

He walked to the middle of the room, standing with his calculated gaze. "You're basically hiding in the corner." he explained smirking. "So are you well? Or are you just afraid of me being here?"

She said nothing, watching him warily.

"There is something odd about him." Ragdoll said bluntly.

"I agree."

"Well then... I would say we should start simple by introducing ourselves. But-" he paused.

He sat then, opening his briefcase and pulling out a file. "But according to this, you haven't said a word since coming to Arkham. Which has been fifteen years? Since you were ten?"

Julia hesitantly nodded.

"Well that's a setback." he stated.

"Setback? For what?" Ragdoll puzzled over.

"No idea."

"So how about we start with a little test." he said calmly. "I'm gonna give you a dose of a medicine I use for my patient's treatments." he said slowly. "Don't worry, it's perfectly safe. And it shouldn't be that painful." he added.

He pulled out a syringe from his briefcase, filled with a sandy color liquid. He got up and walked over to her and crouched in front of her, smirking as she leaned back.

"Are you sure you're not afraid of me?" he whispered, grabbing her arm in the process.

Julia started to shake, as she looked into his cold blue eyes.

"What do I do?" she said frantically to Ragdoll.

"I don't know!"

"Relax." He said calmly. He slowly straightened her arm and slid up her sleeve. Then the needle went in. Julia winced at the sudden prick, her head now suddenly feeling dizzy.

"By the way." she heard him say, as everything started to fade. "My name is Dr. Crane."

Then she fell into hell.