♤ Rotten ♤

♤ Chapter One | New Beginnings ♤

♤ Chapter One | New Beginnings ♤

"Either, you come down from there willingly," Officer Brodo says looking up at the tall old willow tree on the corner of Cherry street, "Or we cut you down." He says holding up a chainsaw with his free hand trying to scare girl in the tree.

"Cut me down! I'm not coming down!" The girl cries out as she watches the officer talk to the two fireman who came to cut the tree.

The girl hears the men talk from below and closes her eyes as more tears escape. She rests her head against the old branch and brings her knees up to her chest. The tree was the only friend the girl has. Everyone at school thought she was a freak. She wore clothes no teenage girl wore, she wore big framed glasses that covered half her face. She was a nerd. Better yet, a freak. No one wants to befriend a freak who knows more than she should.

"Harleen." A soft voice says making the girl look up from her tear filled lashes and into a pair of dull grey eyes. "Come on down. Everyone's worried about you dear. I'm worried about you."

"Grandpa, I won't come down. They'll cut the tree down." Harleen shakes her head as more tears fall from her eyes and down her cheeks, leaving a trail.
"The view is amazing grandpa, see, look."

The old man sighs as he looks at the pink and blue sky. The sun was about to set. His grand daughter has been up in this tree for almost twelve hours.

"No view is worth more than my grand daughter's safety. Now come on down."

"Please grandpa. Don't make them do this." Harleen pleads as her grandpa puts his hands on her arms.

"Harleen. Now."

Harleen wimpers, but steps on the latter step. She knew she lost the fight. She couldn't save the tree.

BEEP

BEEP

BEEP

Harleen jolted awake as the sound of her phone alarm gets louder and louder by the second. The dream she had still played in her mind, and she covers her face with her hands.

She's been having that same dream ever since it happened two months ago. It wasn't one of those happy dreams, it was more of a nightmare. A dream that kept reminding Harleen what she lost exactly on that same day.

Sighing, Harleen the hotel's blankets to the side and tiredly walks over to the small bathroom that came with the room she rented the night before and turns the light on. The small light bulb that hung from a tiny string swung side to side, dimly lightly a path to the dirty shower. Harleen turns the water handle, only to have it make a horrible sound before water sprays out of it, getting her white undershirt and shorts all wet in the process.

It wasn't the best living compartmemt, but it was the only thing she could afford on short notices. Besides, she only had to stay for the night. After that, she would have her own dorm back at Gotham Academy. The school where the delinquent kids and rich kids of Gotham city attend.

Shutting the shower curtain, Harleen slowly begins to take each article of clothing off and setting it on the partially yellow toilet before getting in. The hot water hits her skin, burning her in the process but Harleen doesn't care. She lets it run down her body like rain drops and let's it redden her skin and numbs it. The only good thing that came with this hotel, was the shower water.