The Matter of Family.
By: Jacy Gray-Davidson
Hello! My name is Richard Grayson, but you can call me Dick. I am 15 years old, and I am a superhero. I was always a hero; I used to be a circus performer with my mom and dad. When I was 8, we had an equipment problem and my parents fell to their death. A man named Bruce Wayne, set up the funeral for me. A week or so later he took me in as a foster son. Two days with living with Bruce, I found out the he was Batman!
After many years of training and fighting crime, the Justice League made a younger group of superheroes, such as myself. The group was made out of six heroes. Aqualad, Miss Martian, Artemis, Kid Flash, Superboy, and myself Robin. Our hideout is located in Happy Harbour. Some of us live there, like Superboy and Miss M. Sometimes I stay there, but most of the time, I live in Bruce's mansion. A little while ago we had an attack against our hideout.
*Flashback*
A huge missile hit mount Justice. Our home. The team ran outside, to see the damage and the attacker. Luckily enough the damage was minimal and the attacker was gone without a trace. A package fell from the sky and landed in Robin's hands. He found two stacks of photos, of him and his parents. Tears started to fall from Robin's eyes. The rest of the team came to Robin. Hands covered their mouths as Robin sobbed. He grabbed the photos and ripped them in half. The team gasped. Robin got up and walked away, leaving the photos on the ground and continued to sob.
More missiles surround Robin, but didn't hit him. The ground under his feet crumbled, and he fell through. Dark thoughts came to his mind. "Why, why can't I just die?!" "I need them…I just need them." He woke up to a dark room, strapped down wrists and ankles to a chair. "Ugh." He commented. "Glad you like it." A dark figure stepped out, it was Deathstroke. Crap.
*Meanwhile with the others*
The Team ran into the Batcave. "Batman? Batgirl?" They all shouted. "Right here!" A female voice called. Batman was working on the batmobile. "What's wrong?"
"This is what's wrong!" M'gann cried. She flew down and showed him the pictures. He winced. "Why didn't he tell us?" Wally also known as Kid Flash asked. "Because he wanted to forget, and to keep him mentally sane." Batman replied. "What do you mean by 'mentally sane'?" Artemis asked.
"He just couldn't take the pressure, losing his family. His only family. He's been taking medication to help with the depression. But sadly it stopped working." He paused. "He's tried to kill himself, so many times, and it's starting to get scary what he's doing." He finished. "Do you know where he is?" He asked in a deep, dark voice that frightened the others.
*Back to Robin*
"What do you want Slade?" I asked roughly. "All I ask for is for you to be by my side, join me if you wish." He answered coldly. "I would never join you! Never, ever!" I shouted anxiously. "Never say never, boy." He said and slapped a cold hand to my cheek. He then kicked me in the stomach, making the chair tip over, I grunted in pain. "I have a friend that wants to play a game with you."
That could never be good.
*Back to the others*
"He fell through the ground!" Kid Flash exclaimed.
"What!?" Batgirl cried, frantically, eyes wide. The widest they could go. "Do…do you think he's dead?" She stuttered.
"He isn't, but he wishes he was." M'gann replied. Batgirl sobbed uncontrollably. M'gann put her hand on Batgirl's shoulder. She shrugged it off, "I'm going to find him." She said. "And no one is going to stop me."
\*Back to Robin*
"He, he looks like a little Robin needs his wings clipped." "Joker" Robin thought out loud. Robin struggled. "Ah, ha little bird, you're going no where!" Harley Quinn, Joker's girlfriend, who was more like a sidekick snickered. She round-house kicked Robin's face, breaking my nose. Dark, warm blood escaped my nose, and trickled down to my lips.
Joker came a little closer to the boy, and with a knife, swiftly cut a straight line down his thigh. "Gah!" Robin cried. Taking his thumb, Joker wiped away some blood and took it to his lips. "That was just plain gross!" Robin exclaimed. "Ha! He….He I plan more to do more that disgust you boy!" Joker laughed in a deep sickening voice. Robin's eyes widened to it's fullest. Joker then took a knife, and sliced a 'J' in to his chest. Robin winced, tears started to fall. He backed up and whispered something into Harley's ear. She nodded and toke the knife. She skipped toward Robin. Her pigtails bouncing like a first grader's. She put her hands on his wrists. He gave her a questioning look. She kissed hiss cheek softly then whispered. "I could slice you arms open, till you cry of mercy, or I could cut the ropes and let you free." Robin gave her another glance. "You're lucky I'm feeling nice today." She smirked. Secretly she cut the ropes.
"Thank you." He muttered. "He's all yours Slade!" She cried. Robin tightened his fists, and jumped out of the chair. Running towards Slade, ready for an all-out life or death battle.
*Back to the team*
"Batgirl, wait! You can go alone!" Miss Martian cried. "I can, and I will!" She said sharply. "I'm going with you!" Artemis suddenly cried out. The team stared at her in shock. "He's a brother to me, and I don't let anyone in my family to get hurt." She said deeply. Aqualad looked deeply into Batgirl's eyes. "We're all going." He added. "Fine." As she and team left to find their fallen friend.
*Back to Robin*
"Harley! How dare you let him free!" Joker boomed. "No matter! I wanted a show! So I'm getting one." She snickered while grabbing a box of hot, buttery popcorn. Robin glared at Slade, his mask started to slip. "No!" As he grabbed his mask trying his best to make it stick. "I don't think that will be off your worries Robin, or shall I say Richard." Slade said darkly. "Wahhh… what?" Robin stuttered, gasping out of breath. "You know Dick, I've always had a liking to you, in fact, even you're daddy bats too." Robin winced at the sound of his foster dad. Slade kick robin down to the ground, knocking him into a pile of rocks. Robin slowly crawled away, from Slade, but Slade kneeled down to Robin, grabbing his hair, pulling his head up. "Did you think you would be getting out of here alive? If you thought yes, then you're wrong." He said. "Just get it over with then." Robin said under his breath. "I would if I could, but we're still in need of you." Joker snickered behind Slade. "Daddy bats is on his way! He, he, he this is going to be exciting."
Batman shortly arrived, and jumped down the hole. "Robin." He whispered. He heard muffling. He walked in the dimly lit room. Robin was tied to a chair, duct tape on his mouth. I slowly took it off. "Bruce, you have to get out of here! It's a trap! Please, leave." Robin struggled to say, more tears fell from his eyes. Behind him was Batgirl, Artemis, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Miss Martian, and Superboy. More tears fell from his eyes, "GO!" He cried. All of them took at step back. Joker slowly walked out, "Well, well looks like daddy bats did decide to come. Or should I call you Bruce." He snickered. Batman looked at Robin. Robin whispered. "I didn't tell him." "Of course little Robin didn't tell me, soon as his mask fell off, I knew exactly who he was, and who you are." He said laughing. Joker jumped beside Robin, with a gun in his hand. "Ah, ha wouldn't want me to do this." He snickered and shot Robin in the thigh, Robin screamed of pain. Batman moved closer, Joker stopped him movie the gun towards Robin's head. "Don't do this." Batman softly told Joker. "Too late!" Batman looked to Robin. "I'm so sorry." He cried. "I'm not." And with that Joker pulled the trigger.
The End.