The Harder They Fall Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Batman Begins

  1 Reign of Terror

  2 Justice League

  3 Tales of the Demon

  4 The Outsiders

  5 Geek Love Island

  6 Young Justice

  7 Young Avengers

  8 Dead End

  9 Geek Squad – Assemble!

  10 Geek Squad – Rise Up!

  11 The Dark Knight Falls

  12 Batman Forever

  13 Nightrunner

  14 Club of Heroes

  A few weeks later

  About The Harder They Fall

  When life feels really hard

  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.”

  “She was just messing about,” I said.

  Mrs Collier didn’t look convinced but she let me go anyway. I grabbed my bag and headed to my form room. When I arrived, a big freckly lad with short ginger hair was standing at the front next to the teacher.

  “Newbie!” someone shouted.

  The new boy glared at us all.

  “This is Jacob,” Mr Gossage said. “He’s joining Year 9.”

  Jacob went a bit red.

  “Ahh!” Freya said. “Look – he’s gone all shy!”

  Some lads sniggered, but Freya hadn’t been teasing. I’d known her since nursery and she wasn’t ever mean to anyone.

  “Freya, Cal – could you show Jacob around next lesson?” Mr Gossage asked.

  “Er, suppose so,” I said, and Freya smiled.

  *

  Freya led Jacob and me around school, starting with Maths and Science. Jacob had stopped scowling, but now he just looked bored.

  “Any questions?” Freya asked.

  I tried to make eye contact with her, but I couldn’t. Freya was my secret crush – Selina Kyle to my Batman. She had dark hair and a button nose. Her eyes were big and brown, and her skin was pale. She wore glasses like me, only hers had cool frames. She was cute.

  “Jacob?” she asked again. “Questions?”

  “Nah,” Jacob said. “All looks the same to me, innit?”

  “Fab!” Freya said. “Let’s go to Art – my favourite!”

  Freya didn’t notice how bored Jacob was – she was all smiles and excitement. I was happy to be with her, and curious about Jacob too.

  He only spoke to say he was bored. His clothes looked shabby – his shirt was almost grey, not white. I noticed that his shoes were all scuffed.

  “We done?” he asked, when we returned to the front door.

  “Yep!” Freya said. “Now, I’ll take you to your next lesson. What is it?”

  “Dunno,” Jacob said, and he stared at his timetable.

  “Shall I look?” I offered.

  “What?” Jacob snapped. “You think I can’t read or summat, bruv?”

  “I was just offering to help,” I said to my feet.

  “Stuff your help!” Jacob said. “I’m off …”

  And with that he trudged away.

  “Not exactly friendly, is he?” Freya said. “Never mind. We’ve got English next, haven’t we?”

  I nodded. Freya had said “we” like there was a “we”.

  “Calloway?” she asked.

  “Hmm?”

  “Why are you grinning?”

  “Oh, no reason.” I hadn’t even realised I was.

  At the end of the corridor, we saw Jacob kick a door open so hard it slammed into the wall.

  2

  Justice League

  Mum was making veggie shepherd’s pie when I got home.

  “Help me mash these potatoes, will you?” she asked. “How was school?”

  I thought of how Anu had twisted my ear until it throbbed.

  “Great,” I lied. “A new boy started today. Me and Freya showed him around.”

  “Freya Saunders?” Mum asked. “She’s a lovely girl – you’ve been friends since nursery.”

  I scowled. Why was Mum doing that weird parent thing of telling me stuff that I already knew?

  “Pretty, too,” Mum added, as she took carrots and broccoli from the fridge.

  “Mum!” I groaned. I felt myself blush.

  Mum grinned and nodded at the table.

  “Plates, Cal …”

  *

  When everything was ready, Dad strolled in from the garden. He’d converted the shed into a studio for his work. Today he was in a lab coat covered in paint, and his blond hair was all crazy scientist. Sticky tape held his glasses together.

  “Hey Cal!” he said. “You didn’t say you were back.”

  “You were in the shed,” I pointed out.

  “The studio, Cal,” he said. “I’ve been painting.”

  “You painted yourself, by the look of you,” Mum joked.

  Dad stuck out his tongue and Mum laughed.

  “Let’s eat,” she said.

  As I wolfed down the pie, my parents talked about boring adult stuff. And then Mum cleared her throat.

  “I’ve been thinking,” she said.

  Mum had crazy ideas all the time. My yoga classes were one. Last year, we became vegans for a while, after Mum read a book called The Truth About Milk. I pushed a piece of broccoli around my plate, as I waited for her latest brainwave.

  “I want to volunteer at a food bank,” she said.

  I frowned. “What’s a food bank?” I asked
.

  “It’s a charity place that gives free food to people in need,” she said. “I think we should all volunteer. I was thinking three times a week. We could even help on Christmas Day.”

  “You can’t make Cal help,” Dad said. “He has to decide for himself.”

  I shrugged.

  “I don’t mind helping,” I said. “But not on Christmas Day.”

  “OK.” Mum smiled at me. “I’ll find out when they need us.”

  Dad groaned again and Mum gave him a stern look.

  “We need to rebalance our spirits,” she said. “As a family.”

  Dad went off to read a book, Mum went upstairs to meditate, and I was alone. It was my turn to clear up and wash the dishes. Then I went to my room to do my homework.

  *

  Later, Dad came to ask if I was OK.

  “Yeah,” I said. “It’s just …”

  “Just what, kid?”

  “Like, are we evil because we have enough money when other people don’t?” I asked.

  “No!” Dad said. “Of course not. Life isn’t easy, Cal, and sometimes bad things happen that bring people down.”

  “But what if every rich person gave money to poor people?” I asked. “Wouldn’t that help?”

  “Yes,” Dad said. “But not everyone thinks like we do.” He sat down next to me. I could tell he’d just smoked his one night-time roll-up.

  “You know what, Calloway Gill-Smith?” he said with his stinky cigarette breath.

  “What?”

  “I’m happy that we think alike, but we don’t have to. I love you anyway.” He kissed me on my head and left.

  3

  Tales of the Demon

  A few days later, Anu tripped me up. As I fell, I wondered what would rebalance her spirit.

  “You OK, Cal?” Miss Spargo asked, as I picked myself up and sat down.

  “No, Miss,” Anu said. “He’s a dork.”

  All Anu’s mates giggled.

  “That’s not acceptable, Anu,” Miss Spargo said. “Next time you’ll go into isolation. Clear?”

  Anu looked away. “Over-react much?” she muttered.

  *

  As soon as Maths was over, I rushed to the library.

  I was there a while before I spotted Jacob. He was sitting alone, with a Batman novel. I went over to say hello.

  “Tales of the Demon,” I said. “That’s awesome. I love Batman.”

  He closed the book. “Get lost, geek,” he said.

  “You should try the others,” I told him. “Like Year One by Frank Miller.”

  Jacob shook his head. “I ain’t like you,” he said. “I weren’t reading it cos I want to.”

  “You looked like you were,” I said. “I saw you.”

  “Yeah?” he asked. “Well, that makes you a stalker. Bet you fancy me!”

  He pushed back in his chair and stood up. “Shove yer effing Batman!” he shouted.

  “What’s going on?” Mrs Collier asked, as the door slammed in her face.

  “Jacob got angry,” I said. “I don’t know why.”

  “Don’t worry,” Mrs Collier told me. “He doesn’t seem very happy today, that’s all.”

  I wanted to know why Jacob was sad, but I didn’t ask. Instead, I put Tales of the Demon back on the shelf.

  *

  At lunch, I was eating my falafel wrap when the dinner hall erupted with screams and shouts of “Fight! Fight!” When I looked up, I saw a Year 10 called Myles Granger and his mates shoving Jacob. Jacob went for Myles, and they punched and kicked him, then pushed him across a table.

  “STOP THIS AT ONCE!” I heard Ms Jenkins yell. She was ex-Army and no one messed with her. Then the Head, Mr Ahmed, appeared.

  “HOW DARE YOU!” he bellowed, right in Myles’s face. “MY OFFICE – NOW!”

  Myles trudged out, followed by his mates.

  Ms Jenkins had hold of Jacob. I could see him calm down, as he wiped his face on his sleeve and followed her out. As they walked past, I asked Jacob if he was OK.

  “Do one, freak!” he snapped.

  “Leave him be, Cal,” Ms Jenkins said.

  I turned back to my lunch, embarrassed.

  “Poor Jacob,” Freya said, as she sat down next to me. “The way those boys picked on him is horrible … But that smells nice,” she went on, and she took a bite of my wrap. “You don’t mind, do you?” she asked, chewing and talking at once. “I’m starving …”

  I felt my cheeks grow hot and my mouth dry.

  “Er … yeah – I mean, no …” I managed.

  “Good!” Freya said. “Can I have the rest of it then?”

  *

  Later, at the end of last lesson, Anu and her friends huddled together to gossip about Jacob.

  “How smelly is he?” Anu said.

  “I swear those jeans could stand up by themselves!” a girl called Maddie said with a giggle. “You can see the dirt on them. Gross!”

  “Yeah,” said Anu. “Like, Tesco jeans are ten quid. That’s not expensive, is it? Even for a chav.”

  “Don’t be so mean,” I said.

  Anu fixed me with a stare. “Are you talking to me?” she asked, and she pointed at her face.

  “Yes,” I said. I was trying not to shake. “It’s really not fair to be rude about Jacob when he isn’t here.”

  Anu sighed and stood up. “Dear, oh dear,” she said.

  Next thing, Anu shoved me and I fell to the floor. My glasses went flying.

  “Oops!” Anu sneered. “The poor geek tripped. Shall I get your mummy for you?”

  I didn’t reply, and Anu bent down beside me.

  “I tell you what to do,” she warned. “When I push, nerds like you fall over. It’s how life works, Cal. The hardest come first. Understand?”

  And, with that, Anu punched me hard in the stomach.

  “OWWWW!!!!”

  I felt tears in my eyes but I knew I couldn’t cry in front of her.

  “Don’t ever back-chat me again,” Anu added.

  She slapped my face a couple of times and then at last she left me alone. I heard the door slam as she strode off with her mates, laughing and jeering.

  I sat up and tried to clear my head.

  “I found these for you,” a voice said.

  It was Freya. She held out my glasses and I saw that one of the arms had fallen off.

  “I’ve got some tape,” she said. “In my bag …”

  “Er, thanks,” I said. Somehow I felt a whole lot better.

  “You’re welcome,” Freya said. “Come on, up you get …”

  4

  The Outsiders

  After that, no one saw Jacob for a week. And when he did reappear, he was really quiet. I wanted to say hello, but I was too scared that he might snap at me again. So I left him alone.

  Then, one afternoon, Mum was waiting after school. She was in full-on hippy mode in a yellow hat, a navy anorak, ripped jeans and muddy green wellies. I hoped Anu and her gang didn’t spot her.

  “Hey, Cal!” Mum gave me a big hug. “How was your day?”

  “Good, but why are you here?” I said.

  “It’s our first day!” she said. “I’ve got Verity with me.”

  Verity was our red and white camper van. She was old and rusty and really slow.

  “What first day?” I asked.

  Mum ruffled my hair. “At the food bank, remember?” she said.

  I had forgotten. In my bag, I had homework – mine and Anu’s.

  “But I’ve got stuff to do,” I said.

  “No problem,” said Mum. “You’ll have plenty of time later.”

  There was no point in protesting. When Mum decided to do something, we did it. We trundled across the city to the hall of St Margaret’s Church.

  A friendly vicar greeted us as we went in.

  “I’m Toby Akinfela,” the vicar said. “It’s good of you to join us.” He looked at me and smiled. “And who’s this?”

  “I’m Cal,” I replied. “Cal
loway Gill-Smith.”

  Toby smiled again. “Calloway?” he asked. “Like the American jazz man?”

  I nodded. Mum and Dad named me after Cab Calloway, a singer who had died before I was born. I had seen loads of pictures of him – he was always smiling and wearing crazy baggy suits with two-tone shoes. We didn’t have much in common.

  “What an excellent name!” Toby said. “Well, do come in …”

  Inside, I counted eight other volunteers. Mum went off to chat to them. I was the only kid.

  “Come with me, Cal,” Toby said. “I’ll show you the ropes – you can give Martin a hand.”

  He took me over to a big wall of shelves. On the floor were boxes of tins.

  “Sort box by box,” the guy called Martin told me. “Look, each shelf is split into sections. If you could stack the cans in the right place …”

  “No problem,” I said, and I put my bag down.

  “We don’t have many young volunteers,” Toby told me. “It’s great to see you here.”

  Over the next hour, I helped sort tins of fruit, vegetables, soup – all sorts. A few dented cans wobbled as I stacked them. Then, I dropped some spaghetti hoops. A woman in a sky blue headscarf helped me to tidy up.

  “Oops!” she teased.

  As I worked, the hall got more and more busy. I looked up to see where Mum was, and that’s when I spotted Jacob over by the doors. I stepped back, and prayed he hadn’t clocked me. His face was bright red and he looked annoyed.

  Then he yelled, “NO, MUM!!!” at the woman next to him – and everyone turned his way.

  Toby went over, but Jacob flared up at him too. Then he stormed out.

  “Don’t worry,” Martin said. “That happens sometimes.”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “It’s horrible being poor,” Martin said and I saw that two of his front teeth were missing. “You start to feel ashamed, son. Like, people reckon you’re a scrounger.”

  “But we’re not here to make people feel bad,” I said.

  “I know,” Martin said. “But if you have to ask for help, it can hurt your pride. Make you feel useless.”

  “You used to be poor?” I asked.