Joker

An express train came panting down the track snorting smoke in the front. The outmoded train was incongruous to the lush green around. Sun rays hid beneath the tree peeped through the joyous leaves. Joker set his gaze out the window but his mind was inundated with his mother's thoughts. Just a day ago, his mother fell on a deathbed plunging her son into sorrows. She was the only one left in his family and her sudden demise thanks to cardiac arrest left him in agony. He was commuting to a major city to perform as an artist. He was adept in his role as a joker whose motive is to make people laugh. Joker knew it would be a daunting task for him to perform, especially following his mother's death but he never ignored his profession which meant the world to him.

He felt forlorn but felt his profession would pivot his mind. The inexorable movement of the train finally relented as it came to a halt in the railway station. Joker hopped off the train to be greeted by the breezy wind which assured him a blissful walk to his destination. He swung his bag on his back and hastened to his drama company. The huge platform had been erected to commemorate dramas to entertain audiences. An enormous crowd had gathered to feast their eyes with mind-blowing performances. The first drama left the audiences discontented who booed in disillusionment. They needed a magical performance to cease their boos. Joker disguised in joker attire silently scurried into the centre of the stage.

The boos slowly muffled. He recreated his mother's death episode spectacularly. Many wondered if they were watching an Oscar award winner, such was his deft skills. His countenance mixed his tears with sweat but was not visible to the outside world. The audience at his ineffable performance surged goosebumps through them. At the end of the act, there was a pin drop silence unlike the boos heard for previous performance. Suddenly, there was an uproar of applause which threatened to shake the platform. Many guys had their eyes welled up as they related the act to their life. The joker had won the hearts of audiences who rushed to procure his autographs. He obliged their request despite still stuck in the well of pain. Devon, who used to do the joker part until then rose from his chair in disgruntlement. He couldn't ebb his envy on the joker. He thought the joker would rob his job with his stellar performances so chalked out a plan to kill the joker.

One day seven to eight masked men who looked like terrorists swarmed into the area armed with guns. An idea popped into Devon's mind. His eyes lit with joy as he wore the joker attire which resembled that of the joker. His modus operandi was to enrage the men and to divert their anger on the joker. He knew these ruthless men would stoop to any level to punish those who provoke them. Putting the joker in the hornet's nest and enjoying the persecution that would be meted out to him was his goal. A beggar with scruffy clothes and a bowl in hand was passing by their vehicle. Devon pushed him towards one of the armed men who fell in the process. His furious face reddened as he sent a bullet into the chest of the beggar who convulsed to death. He then turned towards Devon in joker attire, who resorted to offensive gestures. By doing so, he just added fuel to the already burning fire. The armed man decreed his men to charge at Devon who cleverly ran through the narrow passage. Armed men followed him like a hungry lion charging at a deer. Devon reached the spot of the joker and quickly removed his attire to ensure the armed men would now charge at the innocent joker whose next performance was bound to be foiled.

The joker prepped for his role with determination oblivious to the peril lurking around. "Attack, " the armed man screamed as they let loose bullets. The joker couldn't comprehend what was in store next. With bullets swarming past him he had no other option but to run for his life. Devon, curbed his smile as his eyes lit with joy. Despite his presence, armed men couldn't detect the real man hidden beneath the cloak. The joker gasped for breaths with the cat and mouse chase sequence still intact. He had managed to evade plenty of bullets aimed to rip him apart. Is he going to be the collateral damage to the trick played by Devon? One corner of his mind wanted to ask the armed men why they were against him but the other part deemed it perilous as they could kill him without giving a response. He was profusely sweating from head to toe with no breather while the armed men were not ready to forsake their plan to kill him. Joker dashed into an opened garage and slipped into a material box that was big enough to accommodate his body.

Armed men stranded a few yards from the garage silently triggered their vigilant ears for nearby sound detection. Silence reigned supreme which urged them to turn back and move, but all of a sudden a creaking sound bounced from the garage. They put their condescending steps forward to unravel the mystery hidden in the garage. They were now inside the garage wreathed in cobwebs and dust. One of them glanced at the toolbox laying alone at the far corner of the room. Joker's body drenched in perspiration sensed the danger as the man slowly inched towards the box.

Instantaneously, a pile of bricks fell from outside which gravitated their attention towards it. Devon, who was peeping through the erected bricks fell along with it now being exposed to the arms of these men. He folded his hands as if to implore them not to kill him. Armed men believed he was the man who made an offensive gesture at them because he was the only one present in the deserted place. His folded hands were not acknowledged as the ruthless men let loose a hail of bullets to squeeze through his cheat. Devon fell thud on the ground with his modus operandi failing to con the armed men. The joker survived from the wrath of these men who instantly departed from the place.