We looked at each other in alarm and confusion. We got up and quickly moved to our last classroom. No one knew why we were going into lockdown, but when there is a lockdown in Gotham it means that it will be a living hell. We moved lightly in the hall for only hands full of students at a time were released from lunch. Then the glass shattered and you could hear something hit the ground.
“Madeline,” I choked staring to cry. Her body was a lifeless heap on the linoleum tile. Her brunette hair started to turn crimson with blood and her blue green eyes turned to glass.
“No,” Will whispered and fell to his knees.
“Come on we have to go or else we will end up like Madeline,” Dick grabbed our arms and dragged us up the stairs.
Once inside the dark room the teacher asked what was with the blood on Will’s pants. Dick was the only one with enough courage to say it. To say that Madeline was dead. We sat in the corner just the three of us and came to the conclusion that they weren’t letting anyone else out of the cafeteria due to the gun shot. Dick sat in the middle as Will and I silently wept on either side of him. He didn’t cry because four years ago he saw his entire family die right in front of him, but I knew that his eyes got watery a couple of times by peeking at him.
A few minutes later I was out of tears and just laid my head in Dick’s lap. Will leaned back into the wall and wiped away a tear every now and then. Dick just softly stroked my hair as I laid there. I didn’t dare to close my eyes for the fear of Madeline’s death scene creeping up on me under my eyelids. Soon Will fell asleep and the blood on the bottom half of his pant legs began to dry. Time passed and nothing. No Dynamic Duo. No Superman. No hero at all. The teacher started to dose off too, but I laid awake in my best friend’s lap thinking of a way out. Slowly my cushion got up thinking that I was asleep until he saw my eyes wide open.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
“Getting out,” he huffed.
“No, the whole point of a lockdown is to stay put.”
“Give me a boost up to that air duct vent.”
“We need to wait for help,” I whispered taking a step towards him. He turned to face me and place his hands on my shoulders.
“Can’t you see help isn’t coming? The police are trying, but will be no use. The Justice League is obviously not available and the protégés of the League are probably in school. Hell, two are in this school,” he shook me.
“Get whelmed Dick. They’re probably on their way here and those two are highly likely trying to find a way out,” I stated calmly.
“You don’t get it Babs. I need to get out to see the threat. I am one of those two.” I couldn’t help but let my jaw drop as I stared at my friend. Once the initial shock wore off I became angry that he never told me before now.
“Why haven’t you told me?” I studied the stranger in front of me. Him and my best friend looked alike, but were vastly different. They had the same choppy, black hair, ice blue eyes and jaw line. The difference was that Dick was honest and the stranger is a liar.
“Your safety.”
“Who are you really?” He grabbed my arm and dragged a chair over to the air vent. Standing on the chair he stared at the vent in front of him.
“Do you have a nail filer? And don’t ask that again not here,” he demanded referring to my pervious question. I tip toed over to my desk and pulled out my pencil pouch. From the top I plucked the metal filer and handed it to him. Dick expertly unscrewed the screws, with the filer, holding the vent onto place and put the file in his pocket. In a blink he was in the air duct and was gesturing for me to follow. Dumbfounded I climbed the chair and took his outstretched hand. After a few minutes we stopped and he answered my question.
“I am Robin. You know the Boy Wonder and Bruce is, well you can guess,” Dick murmured. I nodded trying to take it all in. “I understand if you’re so mad that you hate me.”
“Hate you? Angry? Yes, but hate you? Never. Plus, you still haven’t told me who number two is,” I said staring deep into his now baby blue eyes. With a sigh he answered, “Artemis Crock is the female protégé of Green Arrow.”
“My guess is we’re going to go get her.”
“Yes, but if it comes to fighting you will not ‘help’,” he stated and when he saw my What, Why face he added, “Period.” He knew if it came down to it I would break protocol, but we left it at that and continued through the duct to find Artemis.
“Madeline,” I choked staring to cry. Her body was a lifeless heap on the linoleum tile. Her brunette hair started to turn crimson with blood and her blue green eyes turned to glass.
“No,” Will whispered and fell to his knees.
“Come on we have to go or else we will end up like Madeline,” Dick grabbed our arms and dragged us up the stairs.
Once inside the dark room the teacher asked what was with the blood on Will’s pants. Dick was the only one with enough courage to say it. To say that Madeline was dead. We sat in the corner just the three of us and came to the conclusion that they weren’t letting anyone else out of the cafeteria due to the gun shot. Dick sat in the middle as Will and I silently wept on either side of him. He didn’t cry because four years ago he saw his entire family die right in front of him, but I knew that his eyes got watery a couple of times by peeking at him.
A few minutes later I was out of tears and just laid my head in Dick’s lap. Will leaned back into the wall and wiped away a tear every now and then. Dick just softly stroked my hair as I laid there. I didn’t dare to close my eyes for the fear of Madeline’s death scene creeping up on me under my eyelids. Soon Will fell asleep and the blood on the bottom half of his pant legs began to dry. Time passed and nothing. No Dynamic Duo. No Superman. No hero at all. The teacher started to dose off too, but I laid awake in my best friend’s lap thinking of a way out. Slowly my cushion got up thinking that I was asleep until he saw my eyes wide open.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
“Getting out,” he huffed.
“No, the whole point of a lockdown is to stay put.”
“Give me a boost up to that air duct vent.”
“We need to wait for help,” I whispered taking a step towards him. He turned to face me and place his hands on my shoulders.
“Can’t you see help isn’t coming? The police are trying, but will be no use. The Justice League is obviously not available and the protégés of the League are probably in school. Hell, two are in this school,” he shook me.
“Get whelmed Dick. They’re probably on their way here and those two are highly likely trying to find a way out,” I stated calmly.
“You don’t get it Babs. I need to get out to see the threat. I am one of those two.” I couldn’t help but let my jaw drop as I stared at my friend. Once the initial shock wore off I became angry that he never told me before now.
“Why haven’t you told me?” I studied the stranger in front of me. Him and my best friend looked alike, but were vastly different. They had the same choppy, black hair, ice blue eyes and jaw line. The difference was that Dick was honest and the stranger is a liar.
“Your safety.”
“Who are you really?” He grabbed my arm and dragged a chair over to the air vent. Standing on the chair he stared at the vent in front of him.
“Do you have a nail filer? And don’t ask that again not here,” he demanded referring to my pervious question. I tip toed over to my desk and pulled out my pencil pouch. From the top I plucked the metal filer and handed it to him. Dick expertly unscrewed the screws, with the filer, holding the vent onto place and put the file in his pocket. In a blink he was in the air duct and was gesturing for me to follow. Dumbfounded I climbed the chair and took his outstretched hand. After a few minutes we stopped and he answered my question.
“I am Robin. You know the Boy Wonder and Bruce is, well you can guess,” Dick murmured. I nodded trying to take it all in. “I understand if you’re so mad that you hate me.”
“Hate you? Angry? Yes, but hate you? Never. Plus, you still haven’t told me who number two is,” I said staring deep into his now baby blue eyes. With a sigh he answered, “Artemis Crock is the female protégé of Green Arrow.”
“My guess is we’re going to go get her.”
“Yes, but if it comes to fighting you will not ‘help’,” he stated and when he saw my What, Why face he added, “Period.” He knew if it came down to it I would break protocol, but we left it at that and continued through the duct to find Artemis.