Out of the rabbit hole
When you leave the care of Arkham Asylum, it can not possibly live up to your hopes from the inside. This is the first thing that occurs to Jervis Tetch as he's led out of the front door and across the lawn. He carries a box containing all of the belongings that have been truly 'his' during his stay. He worried there might be some sort of media circus around his release, what with the attention his actions and capture had gained. He feels something like disappointment when there's no one waiting at all. Just a lone cab, and the meter is running. The orderly hands the cab driver some cash and Jervis is driven away. He's taken to his apartment. A place that seems desolate now. His neighbors moved. His own apartment is still damaged from his capture. There are weeks and weeks worth of mail piled at the door. An avalanche of aging correspondence that topples to greet him. That is all that greets him. No cats. ...No Alice...
No, there is no Alice. Not anymore. He can only hope that a good home was found for Dina and Cheshire. Maybe that nice artist boy took them? Maybe the landlord did. Maybe the police took them. His refrigerator has been emptied. Better than it rotting. The apartment is dusty. A few things are missing. All taken as evidence. They told him his own savings had been used to maintain his rent. Apparently he agreed to that. He doesn't remember a lot of things that happened right after his capture. There's still a little bit of money left, but not much. They've had his electricity turned back on in anticipation of his return home. At least he can switch on the lights in this tomb.
He sets his box down on the dining room table. He sighs and listens to the terrible quiet.
"Be it ever so humble... "
The phone rings. His mother. He ignores it, not ready yet. He turns on the radio instead and tries to remember how he used to live. Tries to remember how to be Jervis.
No, there is no Alice. Not anymore. He can only hope that a good home was found for Dina and Cheshire. Maybe that nice artist boy took them? Maybe the landlord did. Maybe the police took them. His refrigerator has been emptied. Better than it rotting. The apartment is dusty. A few things are missing. All taken as evidence. They told him his own savings had been used to maintain his rent. Apparently he agreed to that. He doesn't remember a lot of things that happened right after his capture. There's still a little bit of money left, but not much. They've had his electricity turned back on in anticipation of his return home. At least he can switch on the lights in this tomb.
He sets his box down on the dining room table. He sighs and listens to the terrible quiet.
"Be it ever so humble... "
The phone rings. His mother. He ignores it, not ready yet. He turns on the radio instead and tries to remember how he used to live. Tries to remember how to be Jervis.