MARLEY

Marley was sitting at her desk, doodling the Superman symbol over and over on her notebook. She didn't know why, she'd never really been a big fan of his, she was more of a Batman kind of girl. Her Pre-Calc teacher was droning on about sine and cosine, but she – and most of the class – wasn't paying attention. Then she felt something hit her head and and looked from behind her long curtain of hair. A boy, Andy Poulson, had thrown a piece of paper at her. What? she mouthed, annoyed.

Whatcha drawing? he mouthed back, with a wink. He'd been hitting on her for years, but she liked to keep to herself. Plus, the guy was a total douche.

She said, None of your business, and pointedly turned away from him. God, he was annoying. She wished anything – anything at all would interrupt this totally boring Tuesday.

In about a minute, she'd regret those thoughts.

The ground shook beneath the classroom, as if there had been an explosion on the first floor of the school. Terrified screams echoed up through the halls, and then Principal Adam's voice came on the intercom, "Everyone please return to your classrooms and follow procedure. There are two armed intruders inside the school. We are now under lock down."

In a daze, Marley followed her peers into the corner of the room, ending up next to Andy, while Mr. Greene locked the door. "If you're scared, you can hold my hand," Andy whispered to her, though he looked more scared than her.

"I'll pass," she hissed back. The noises were getting closer to them – explosions, glass shattering. Then, she heard voices just outside the door.

"Harley, check that classroom, I'll check this one."

"Okey dokey, puddin'."

The voices made her think of something, but she shook it out of her head – that wasn't possible.

The door started to jiggle, and the whole class held their breath. When it stopped, Marley almost sighed in relief. But then, there was a gunshot, and the door was thrown open. When Marley saw the woman, she didn't know if she should laugh or cry. Her face might've been pretty, but she had white makeup covering it, and a mask on. She was dressed in red and black – a skin tight outfit with a head piece that made her look like a harlequin. And then it dawned on her – the horrible realization from reading her Batman comics. She was supposed to be Harley Quinn – the Joker's "girlfriend". So the guy outside...

"So," the woman said in that high voice with a perfect Harley Quinn accent. "I'm looking for a Marley Stephens. Hey – Marley! That rhymes with Harley! Hehe! Anywho, you guys seen her?"

Marley felt all the eyes of her classmates boring into her. Andy, who looked as pale as a ghost, shoved Marley at the woman's feet. "That's her!"

Harley grinned. "Aww, thanks sweetie. You saved us a lot more searchin'. Hey, Mistah J! I got her!"

The woman grabbed Marley by the hair as maniacal laughter filled the hallways. Then the Joker stepped into the room, suit and all. His grin was so big, Marley swore her head could fit in his mouth. Her blood turned to ice as he stepped towards her and looked her up and down. Then he looked at Harley. "So, who do you think was right? Superman or Batman?"

Harley shrugged. "I'm not sure. She looks a little weak to be a Super, though."

Joker nodded. "Yes, I can see it. I can also imagine her in a wheelchair fairly easily..." He cackled madly at his own inside joke, wiping a tear from his eye. "Oh, if only Batsy were here to watch this."

Harley grinned as Joker pulled something out of a bag – a crowbar. "This is gonna hurt," he whispered to Marley. He swung, and cracked the crowbar against Marley's stomach. Harley let her crumple to the ground, her whole body exploding in agony. Then he slammed it down on her forearm – she didn't like the loud crunch that followed.

"Ooh, ooh! Mistah J!" Harley exclaimed while jumping up and down. "Can I try?"

Joker sighed. "Oh, alright. But make her bleed."

"You got it, puddin'!" Harley took the crowbar from the Joker and whipped it across Marley's body. Then, she swung it down on her head and her face. Marley felt a wound on the top her head begin to flow with blood, and she was briefly aware of her nose and several gashes on her head trickling as well. But what had most of her conscious attention was the beating of her heart in her head, and her vision going gray. Harley got her skull good.

"No, you imbecile! Now she won't even notice the pain with her mind all foggy," Joker snapped.

Not sure about that, Marley thought, the pounding in her head getting excruciating. But she couldn't talk. She couldn't even scream.

The Joker frowned down at her. "This was too easy to be any fun. Oh, well, maybe Batsy will come after me for killing his could-have-been Batgirl." He pointed a gun at her chest, and Marley closed her eyes.

Marley couldn't explain what it felt like to be shot. It was like a white-hot fire streaking through her flesh. But at the same time, it didn't even hurt that much. Probably because her head was so messed up. She'd hoped a shot to her heart would kill her instantly, but maybe it didn't – or maybe the Joker missed, she wasn't sure.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion around her. There were blobs of color clouding her vision and the things Joker and Harley were saying were distorted in her damaged mind. Then, a figure crashed into Joker, throwing him across the room. Did it have... animal ears? Another, smaller figure knocked over Harley Quinn.

Her eyes then focused on a face peering down at her. To her it was the face of an angel. Was she dying? He had dark hair and pool-like blue eyes that were filled to the rim with tears. Even with her cloudy vision, she could tell he was strikingly handsome. He opened his mouth to speak, and Marley willed herself to hear his words correctly.

"Marley? Oh, please, don't be dead yet! I know you're supposed to be my family! My little cousin... oh, please, come back to me!"

Marley tried to look at the symbol on his chest through her blurred vision. "S-Superman?" she whispered feebly. It took all of her energy to mutter the word, and it came out weak and raspy.

"Oh, thank God!" Angel-Superman cried. "Stay with me just a little longer, Marley! Batman! She's still alive! Give me the device!"

But Marley couldn't stay any longer. Her head slumped forward and darkness consumed her.