Sometimes we have to hold the ones we love close to us to understand life is so precious. Every inch of life is precious. But sometimes we don't get to choose who flies away.
"One problem, Jay," Roy said, worried.
"And what would that be?" Jason asked, testing Roy.
"We don't have a bus to get them all out."
"Then make sure they all stay together and walk them as far as you can." Jason suggested, motioning the kids to go up stairs with Bree. I cut the line between. He waited until they were all up stairs. Jason was brave, he had to be. He wasn't afraid of anything, not one thing. The things he has done and seen, is enough to throw anyone of course.
Jason darted himself up stairs picking up his helmet that turned off, from music and lights. That helmet made everything fun in his opinion. Nightwing followed, Breanne and Jason went out the front door in a rush.
Why did the sharp shooter want to go alone? She possibly knew there was something up. She knew something she knew would happen soon enough.
Later when they gathered all outside the old half ruptured barn. Deathstroke didn't find anything besides a doorway in the floor under some old hay in the barn. That must have what and where the clown was hiding. Under the floorboards of the barn.
Jason's pov
We all looked at each other and gazed at the handle on the floor. We knew this was nearly over and done with. But facing the clown itself would be one of the most difficult tasks I would do.
I bent the knee reaching for the silver loop that called my name to open it. I pulled it up seeing just a hole, a dark hole. Hayley was about to jump into the dark hole, until Deathstroke grabbed her shoulder. He shook his head, no. Then reached into the holster on his belt line. And pulled out a red stick. He popped the top of lighting it in a red glimpse. Then he dropped it down the hole. Then the flare took an endless while to reach the bottom. The hole seemed endless, I looked around then saw near the stables was a shelf and a wall wrack. I walked over there and found an old rope rolled up and hanging off the shelf. I reached for it and grabbed it within seconds. I made my way back to the group near the entrance of the barn, where the small hidden door called our names. I tied it to a pillar near the stables on the right side, and pulled the rope making sure it would hold. Then tossed it down the hole, seeing the blaze from the red flare
"I'll go first and give you the signal if everything is alright" they nodded at the same time. I glanced down the hole, that was around 35ft into the ground. I leaned off the edge holding onto the rope and jumped down holding the rope. The rope burned against my gloves making them shoot off little threads. I should have just used my graphel gun. My feet met the ground's atmosphere.
I turned on my Night vision in my helmet and glanced around. It was like an underground Cave. It had a big bog of water in the middle of some land, that was like a small island enough for all of us to stand crammed into together. Stalactites and stalagmites hung from the ceiling with little crystal clear water drops dripped. There was also a large cliff around the pond of water, into the endless void.
Then it hit me, the blood on the ground making a trail.
"We're good!" I yelled, my voice echoed in the massive underground cave. I kept my arms straight outwards pointing the guns in front of me. There was a small jagged, rough incline down. It looked old enough, I planted my feet into the ground and slid down casually with caution of my surroundings. I slid down the incline hitting the surface and finally hit the ground.
The moon peeked through the small sewer hole that rain would go in without flooding the driveway.
"Welcome." the clown said grimly, he came out of the shadows. He had a grim smile on his face, and the paint that made the smile on his face looked like it had dried on blood. He was in the middle where the little bit of land was in front of the water.
"We're not here to waste our time. Talking to you is like talking to a child." I said, putting weight onto my right foot. Then I darted myself at him not wanting to wait for the others just yet. The clown spun 90 degrees and blocked my punch to his temple with his arm.
I felt my feet leave the ground, my chest hit the ground and the air was knocked out of me. I wheezed trying to regain the air.
'Give up already'.
I shook my head and cringed, leaning up on my elbow then got to my feet. I noticed they all were fighting the clown. Damian already had a black eye, Tim was holding his gut like he got a shot to the ribs, or his ribs snapped. He kept his knees to his ribs. I ran over to the clown when the clown attacked Breanne. She bit her lip and looked like she was going to cry out in pain. How did Damian and Tim get here? I asked them to do one job, and that's to keep those kids safe! I pointed to the doorway and they left in a hurry knowing what I meant.
"Come at me, fucker!" I growled the last part making the clown turn and give me an evil smile.
I thought blankly not letting him enter my mind. He ran around me like a coward, I pointed my left pistol and shot him in the left leg, where the arrow originally hit. The clown slipped then grabbed a rock and threw it at Breanne. Breanne got hit in the eye and fell over. Jees! That was a pretty big rock anyways. I looked around for Deathstroke, he wasn't anywhere to be seen.
"Finish it." the clown pleaded holding his leg in pain. I knew it was a trick.
BAM! A gunshot ringed throughout the cave.
I looked toward the sound and source of who shot the gun off. I widened my eyes to see it was no other than my sister, Hayley. She had a devilish grin on her face. But that grin soon turned emotionless. Her breath hitched and she clenched her chest for her dear life. I widened my eye's, pain shot through my heart, no! This can't be happening!
3rd person's pov
Hayley's legs buckled under her as she soon fell to the ground. She then hit the ground hard, like a stone falling from a cliff side. Jason and the others ran towards her, hoping this was almost like a bad dream. Nightwing quickly took her into his arms, her breathing became rapid, and tears spilled like waterfalls down her cheeks.
"Nononono, Hayley, you're going to be okay. You're going to be okay...." Nightwing whispered to her. Jason was ready to smash his fists into the walls of the cave, a burning feeling inside came to Richard.
"Please.... We did it....itss....Aragh! Finally....over...." She then started to cough up blood.
Deathstroke looked at her, also having a burning feeling in his chest.
"You did well, Hayley. It's finally time for you to rest." Deathstroke said, the other's couldn't see what kind of emotion he had because of the helmet.
"No! It can't end like this! Hayley, you are going to be okay, we can get you to the hospital!" Jason yelled trying to find a way to save her. The other's knew this was the end for her, there was no saving her.
"Jason.....calm down. It's over for me, there is nothing you can do for me. I played my part, and it was a sacrifice to bring life to others." She then started to cough, time was running out.
"Don't mourn over my death. I would just like to say, it's been a good ride," She nodded her head as more tears spilt from her eyes. The spit started to bubble in everyone's throat.
"It really has. You guys are the family I have never had..." Her breath trembled, and she stuttard.
"I wanted to say this to you Richard." Richard stared into her eyes and held her, never wanting to let go.
"Go and marry Barbra. She was always in your heart," Dick then shook his head.
"Hayley let's not talk about her now-" Hayley then interrupted him.
"No..... You don't get the point. Richard Grayson, I have always loved yo-" She didn't even have enough time to confess her feelings to him. Her air exited her body, and her eyes never closed, mouth wide and agape. They never even got to say goodbye.
"NO!!!" Richard screamed at the top of his lungs, making it echo through the cave. Tears threaten to fall, like a river. He leaned his forehead against hers and cradled her body in his arms. She was gone. She was gone from this world and would never return.
Jason's Pov
My heart ached, she was gone...I clenched my gun in fury. My arms and legs couldn't help to shake. The clown laughed as if this was funny to him. Death wasn't funny, he was serious.
"Finally it hit you."
The clown laughing holding his chest was the bullet that Hayley shot at was in his heart.
No doubt he would die soon. I pulled the trigger shooting a full clip into his leg. Making him scream in pain. I wanted to scream at him. I was screaming inside feeling a bile in my throat. I wanted to scream and cry.
"Who the hell are you?"
Oh so you don't remember do you? How come Hayley knew this would happen and she never told me about it? All the memories flooded my mind of her smile and times when we were kids.
I can't go back to it ever again. She's gone...She deserved more. She got her wish, to die next to her family. I gathered the courage and pointed the gun at his skull.
"Red Hood." I growled in an answer letting the bullet escape the barrel. The bullet went through his skull, leaving a teardrop falling out of his eye. Smoke escaped his mouth. I avenged everyone who was hurt, I wasn't the only one hurt by this. Everyone will have a spot for Hayley in their heart.
The clown faded into dust. Suddenly a shining light burst through the room making me shade my eyes with my arm. As bright as a nuclear bomb. The light made the cave vanish into dust. I couldn't hold it. The light flung us back out of the hole and onto the surface.
I landed on my back next to Bree. I wheezed and grabbed her hand realising the sky was filled with pinks, dusk purple and a gold colour.
"It's over babe." I said, turning to my side to look at her. She nodded with a smile, she giggled when I smiled and gave me a kiss on the lips. I smiled during the kiss letting go after a minute.
She could still see the pain in my eyes. I was in denial, Hayley couldn't be dead.
Deathstroke and Nightwing were devastated at the outcome. Dick was crying like a mad man, he was the one truly hurt, we all were. The sun started to rise from the distance as everyone gathered around her lifeless body.
Dick gave her a small peck on the cheek before wiping his soaked face. I saw a small smirk quirk up from the corner of Hayley's lip.