Drabble: Home for the Holidays
Harley opened her eyes and blinked languidly at the ceiling. The tranquilizers they had given her that morning were beginning to wear off. Her mind was a near blank state and her whole body ached. The light was too bright for her re-adjusting eyes and she closed them once again. Harley made an attempt to speak but all that came out was a pitiful whine. Almost immediately, the female guard who had been waiting outside her cell watching her through the plexi-glass, swiped her I.D card and entered the small room. She walked quickly over to Harley's bed and took out her radio. "Inmate number 09537495 has regained consciousness. Requesting Dr. Lealand to her cell."
Harley's opened her eyes slowly at the sound of her name. "M...my baby." She whispered with struggle. "Can I see her?" The guard shushed her soothingly. "Miss Quinzel, you're coming off of the tranquilizers. You're in Arkham, okay?" Harley struggled to focus on the woman before failing and laughing. "I can't go to Arkham now! The cookies just came out of the oven!" The guard smiled and thanked God that her reaction to the drugs wasn't violence like some of the others. Dr. Lealand arrived in a panic, also expecting violence but rather receiving a very delusional woman. "Miss Quinzel, can you hear me?" She said soothingly. Harley looked to her old coworker and smiled. "Loud n' clear Joan! Hey where ya been? We got a code blue on level 3!"
Joan tried to hold back her laughter. "My name is Dr. Lealand to you now, Harleen. You're a patient here. You no longer work here, remember?" Harley sighed. "Oh yeah. I can't...I can't think straight." She stuttered as her mind and were body slowly returned to her. "We gave you a powerful tranquilizer. You'll be fine in a few hours. Just lay down and take it easy. Do you remember us giving you the shot at all?" She shrugged. "I dunno. I don't remember anything right now. 'Cept William's gonna be pissed when I don't get outta here for Christmas. Guess my outburst sealed the deal on that..." The doctor smiled. "On the contrary, Miss Quinn. The Asylum Board of Directors think it may be beneficial for you to be home on the holidays. Of course you'll need to return but, we can at least give you the day. It's clear that the last thing you need is to be separated any further from your family."
Under normal conditions, Harley would have jumped for joy. Though all she could manage under her current circumstances was a weak "Yay". She closed her eyes once again and lay back down. "Course you'll need to get that damn bullfrog outta the room 'fore I can leave." Joan laughed. "Will do, Miss Quinn."














