How To Make A Robin Sing

Chapter 1: Taking Flight

Richard Grayson inhaled as deeply as he could. He focused on the breath. The air travelled down his throat and filled his chest before deflating. He repeated the process.

He could see the crowd from here but it was too dark for them to spot him. Richard, known to most as Dick, stood in the shadows atop a platform that was at least twenty-five metres off the ground. Even climbing the ladder to get up there was a daring feat.

Dick looked up at his father, John Grayson, who appeared to be doing the same exercise. He didn't think of his father as buff, John was slim yet muscular. Dick was quite the same; he had his father's hair and his mother's eyes.

Mary Grayson was Dick's mother, shy was also quite lean and muscular. She had piercing blue eyes, a colour like the bluest of skies on the happiest of days. She smiled down at her son.

"Ready to fly, my little Robin?" she put a hand on his shoulder.

Dick nodded eargerly, a childish grin on his face. Mary put an arm around her son. The spotlights that had been dancing across the audience where all brought together centre stage below the Graysons.

"And now, performing death-defying stunts without the aid of a net," Mr. Haley, the circus manager, shouted into the megaphone below, lights on him. "I give you, the fabulous Flying Graysons!"

Dick held his grin as the spotlights made their way up slowly to where he and his parents stood. Once in the light, the pulled out the usual charming smiles and waved to the audience.

Today they were performing in Metropolis. The people from that city made a lively and appreciative crowd, clapping for the Graysons. Dick even heard Mr. Haley mention a reporter coming along to write an article about Haley's Circus and their fantastic acts. So the show had better be good.

As usual, John took the first swing, switching his trapeze between the two platforms. There was literally nothing to stop him plummeting to the ground. With a grin, John made it to the other platform safely.

Mary kissed her son's forehead before she swung out too. John left his platform seconds after her. Mary let go of her trapeze and reached her arm out for Johns.

Dick's father hung upside down from his trapeze with his knees bent around the metal pole. He reached down and grabbed Mary's hands, flinging her to the opposite platform. On which, she landed gracefully on her feet.

Now, it was Dick's turn. With a hyped grin and a wave to the crowd, the young boy jumped from the platform. He reached out for the trapeze and tightened his hands around it. He swung around the bar a few times to please the crowd. It hurt his abdominal muscles a little but the cheer of the crowds forfilled made it worth his while.

He spun around the metal bar once more. When Dick reached the perfect angle, he let go. He flew, feet first, towards his father's outstretched arms. Dick felt John's hands grip his ankles.

Dick threw another wave at the crowd below. John's trapeze swung backwards, when it came back he threw his son back towards the other trapeze. Dick's legs hooked around the metal bar of the trapeze and he hung upside down like his father.

Mary stood still on the platform, trapeze in hand. It was time for the big bang to the Flying Graysons act. She swung from the platform and let go of the trapeze midair.

The stunt had to be performed at the precise moment or Mary would fall to her doom. Dick's mother did a triple flip then, keeping her legs together, she pointed her toes to the ground. ground arms were outstretched, one towards John and one towards Dick. If the boys didn't get to her in time, she wouldn't make it.

Fortunately, the stunt was well practised, and Mary felt John grab her left hand and Dick clasping her right. With this new structure, they froze middair, supported only by John and Dick's knees around the trapeze bars.