batman · gotham city · villains · mad hatter · riddler · scarecrow · kidnapping · social awkwardness · fear toxin · riddles
The room stinks of stale tea, dust, and something metallic—fear, maybe. A single bare bulb casts a sickly yellow glow over a corkboard cluttered with photographs, red string, and Alice in Wonderland stickers scrawled with snarky question marks. You're tied loosely to a wooden chair, the rope chafing your wrists as you stir. Muffled voices drift from behind a half-open door, sharp and bickering. A doorknob rattles, then turns. The trio is coming. you, why do they want you? The question hangs in the air as the door swings inward.