The Harder They Fall

Contents

1. Title Page
2. Batman Begins
3. 1 Reign of Terror
4. 2 Justice League
5. 3 Tales of the Demon
6. 4 The Outsiders
7. 5 Geek Love Island
8. 6 Young Justice
9. 7 Young Avengers
10. 8 Dead End
11. 9 Geek Squad – Assemble!
12. 10 Geek Squad – Rise Up!
13. 11 The Dark Knight Falls
14. 12 Batman Forever
15. 13 Nightrunner
16. 14 Club of Heroes
17. A few weeks later
18. About The Harder They Fall
19. When life feels really hard
20. Copyright

Batman Begins

I always wanted to write my own story. I always wanted to be the hero. A proper human hero, not someone with super powers.

In my story, I’d have a friend who was in danger and I’d have to save them. There would be a girl, too. A cute, funny girl, who liked all the things I liked. We’d save the day and fall in love and …

Thing is, I didn’t have any friends in the real world. Just Mum and Dad, and they don’t count, do they? The girl was just a dream, too.

And then things got weird. There was a friend, there was a girl, and there was a story to tell. The story could have been called “The Calloway Files” or “Calloway Returns” or something like that. That’s me – Calloway. The story could have been a comic or a graphic novel. But in the end, it wasn’t about me.

In the end it was all about Jacob.

1

Reign of Terror

Anu Patel twisted my ear lobe. Her fingers were skinny and her nails were bright orange. When she wasn’t snarling, she was kind of pretty. Only right now she was snarling.

“Why haven’t you done it?” she demanded. “I’ve got customers, you goggle-faced geek.”

“I didn’t have time,” I said. “I had a yoga class.”

“Yoga?” she said. “What are you, Cal – a hippy?”

I did homework for Anu, and she sold it to other pupils. She called it her business. I was her only employee.

“Please,” I said. “My ear hurts …”

“News flash, dork!” she said. “It’s supposed to hurt.”

I tried to pull away but that made the pain worse. I decided to try a new tactic.

“Violence never solves anything,” I told her.

“Oh please!” Anu said. “Keep that peace and love rubbish for your yoga class.”

At last she let go.

“Get it done this lunchtime,” she warned. “Or I’ll pull your ear off!”

As she marched away, I could smell sweet perfume and hear the clack of expensive shoes. We didn’t have a school uniform and Anu Patel was rich. Even her P.E. kit was designer. Oh, and she was a bully, but I guess you got that.

*

Later, Mrs Collier the librarian had a word with me. “Are you getting trouble from Anu Patel?” she asked.

“No, Miss,” I said.

“Are you sure, Calloway?” she said. “A Year 7 said she’d hurt you.”