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Chapter Text

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or Carrie.

A paper ball flew through the air and hit Terra Markov in the head. Kathryn Walker and Coma Anders giggled. Terra wished they would just leave her alone for once as she prepared herself for another day of hell.

“Hey, loser,” Kathryn smirked. Coma laughed again. “So, enlighten me. Why isn’t a freak like you homeschooled?”

Terra looked at the ground.

“I wish she was homeschooled,” Toni Monetti said. “Then we wouldn’t have to put up with the stupid bitch.”

“She’s a waste of space,” Coma commented. “I’ve seen toads more attractive than her.”

"She should just kill herself," Angel Robertson said.

"It would do everyone a favor," Jade Nguyen said in agreement.

"Hey, Freak, I'll get you my dad's gun, but it only has one bullet," Kathryn smirked. "So you only have one chance to do it."

Coma, Jade, and Angel all laughed. Familiar tears burned in Terra's eyes.

“What is going on back here?” Mr. Brown, the English teacher, asked. No one said a word. “Terra Markov,” he said, now focusing on the skinny blonde. “Causing a ruckus in my class again, I see.” The other students giggled. “What have I told you about—“the bell rang, cutting him off. Terra gathered her things and rushed out the door.

Kathryn shoved past her and hissed, “See you in gym, bitch.”

From Prom Night: the Case of Terra Markov by Victor Stone.

No one truly understands what happened on Prom Night. I was there, and there are things I don’t understand. But we do know that no one knew about her powers, and that the incident on Prom Night was set into motion that day in the showers, when Terra got her first—

Terra stood in the shower. She could hear bits and pieces of the other girls’ conversations.

“—he flirted with that other girl, and I’m his girlfriend, that jerk—“

“—so Dick said he would take me to a movie tonight—“

“—and Daddy said he would buy me a present—“

“What are you waiting, for Terra? Hurry up. The bell’s going to ring soon,” Miss Smith, their gym teacher said. Terra nodded, and turned off the shower. Miss Smith left, leaving Terra with a group of Murakami High School teenage girls, or, as Terra thought of them, rabid wolverines. When Terra stepped out of the shower, they all saw the blood running down her leg.

Kathryn Walker let out a shriek of laughter, something which did not surprise Raven Roth.

“Terra, that’s so gross!” Kori Anders, Coma’s sister, cried.

“Oh, please,” Jenny Hex said. “She’s gross.”

Terra stood there, confused, wondering what she’d done wrong this time.

“Terra, you got your period! Take care of yourself!” Karen Beecher cried.

Period? Terra thought, confused. What's a period?

“You’re bleeding, you moron!” Raven yelled. Terra looked down at herself and screamed. Kathryn grabbed a tampon from the broken dispenser on the wall and flung it at Terra.

“Plug it up!” Kathryn cried. "Plug it up, you freak!"

Coma immediately joined Kathryn in bombarding Terra with tampons and chanting.

“Plug it UP! Plug it UP!”

Soon, everyone had joined in, even Raven Roth. All the girls had surrounded Terra.

“PLUG IT UP! PLUG IT UP!” Tampons and sanitary napkins were flying at her from every direction.

Please! Terra thought. Please help me, I’m dying!

Kori shoved Terra to the ground, laughing.

“PLUG IT UP! PLUG IT UP!”

Terra began to sob; Kathryn, still chanting and laughing, had whipped out her phone and was recording the whole thing. With her free hand, she was still throwing tampons.

“PLUG IT UP! PLUG IT UP!”

I hate you! Terra thought. I’m dying, and you’re all laughing at me!

”PLUG IT UP! PLUG IT UP!”

I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU ALL! Terra thought, and something in her snapped. One of the lights above them broke with a BANG. The girls screamed. Just then, Miss Smith rushed into the room to see what all the commotion was.

Raven found herself throwing them at her too, chanting along with rest. It was just a joke, it wasn’t hurting anyone, right? After the light exploded, all of them stopped, and stared at Terra as Miss Smith burst into the room. Kathryn hurriedly put her phone away.

Miss Smith took one look at Terra, who was glaring at them with a fierce hatred, and said, “All of you, just get out!”

They didn’t need telling twice. The girls got of there as fast as possible.

“Terra, Terra, calm down,” Miss Smith said as Terra clutched her tightly, leaving some blood on her shirt.

“M—Miss S—Smith—“

“Terra, get up and tend to yourself!”

“I’M BLEEDING TO DEATH!” Terra shrieked. Miss Smith blinked, and something occurred to her. It seemed impossible, since Terra was seventeen, but there was no other explanation. The fear in Terra’s eyes was so real.

“Terra? Is this your first period?”

“What’s a period?” Terra asked, still crying.

Oh, God, Miss Smith thought. She doesn’t even know…

“Okay, it’s like this…” Miss Smith said, explaining the concept of menstruation to Terra. After she was certain the blue-eyed girl got the gist of menstruation, she picked up a sanitary napkin off the ground and showed Terra how to tend to herself.

Chapter Text

Miss Smith entered the Principal’s Office, Terra following her.  

“Mr. Jones?” she asked.  

“Yes?” Mr. Jones, the principal, asked.  

“This is Terra Markov.  I think she should be sent home for the day.  She’s had a rather—frightening—experience.”

“Right,” Mr. Jones said, pulling out a dismissal slip.  “Dismissal at 9:45 A.M.  Terri Markov—"

“It’s Terra,” Miss Smith corrected.

“Right,” Mr. Jones muttered.  He signed the dismissal slip.  He looked at Terra.  “Do you need a ride Terri? We can call a cab—"

“It’s Terra,” Terra muttered.

“She can walk,” Miss Smith said.  “She just lives a few streets over, on 8^th Avenue.” She turned to Terra.  “Terra? You’re excused from gym tomorrow and all next week.  You can go to study hall in the library instead.”

“You can go now, Terri,” Mr. Jones said.

“It’s Terra!” Terra snarled.  The desk slid across the floor nearly three inches.  Terra turned around and left.

“What happened?” Mr. Jones asked once he had gotten over his shock.

“She got her first period in the shower,” Miss Smith said.

“Her first? Isn’t she a bit old—"

“Yes.  But she had no idea what was happening.  She thought she was bleeding to death.”

“I find it hard to believe that girl in high school could not know something like that,” Mr. Jones said.

“There’s no other explanation for her reaction,” Miss Smith said.  “And look at who her mother is!”

“We can’t interfere with people’s beliefs, Miss Smith.  You know that.”

 “I know,” Miss Smith said.  “The other girls—they were shouting at her and pelting her with tampons when I came in.”

Mr. Jones frowned.

 “Do you have a punishment in mind?” 

“Yes,” she said.

From Telekinesis: The Black Prom by Gerald Potter

It seems impossible to believe that at seventeen, Terra Markov knew nothing of the menstrual cycle.  Yet at seventeen years old, Miss Markov was not aware that menstruation even existed.  We know that her ignorance of menstruation was a direct result of her mother’s religious mania.  

It was a little past three o’clock.  Upon arriving home, Terra had changed clothes. Now she was in the living room, thinking about what had happened.  The concept of menstruation made so much sense now.  She couldn’t figure out why she hadn’t known about it.  Miss Smith had said that all girls had periods.  

She said that most girls get theirs at twelve, Terra recalled.  Their mothers had told them.  She blinked, realizing something.  Their mothers had told them.  But her mother hadn’t.  Just then, the door opened.  Her mother was home from the laundry.  Terra was trembling.  

“Terra,” Margaret Markov said softly, coming into the living room.  Terra looked up.  She knew.  Of course, the school would have called her at the laundry and told her what had happened.  “You’re a woman now,” Mrs. Markov continued, like Terra had committed a capital crime by getting her first period.  

Terra ran towards her mother.

“Oh, Momma, why didn’t you tell me? I was so scared! I thought I was dying! And the other girls laughed and threw things at me—“

SMACK.

Mrs. Markov slapped Terra and Terra fell to the ground crying.  

“And God made Eve from the rib of Adam and Eve was weak.  Eve was weak, say it!”

“Momma, listen to me, it wasn’t my fault—"

“And Eve was weak and loosed the raven on the world, and the raven was called Sin.”

“Momma, I didn’t do anything wrong—"

“And the first sin was Intercourse.”

“Momma, please! Listen to me!” Terra cried.

“And God visited Eve with a curse, and the curse was the Curse of Blood.”

“Momma—"

“Eve was weak.  Say it!”

“No, Momma!” Terra said, and Mrs. Markov struck her again.

“Say it!”

“And Eve was weak!” Terra said.  “Momma, it wasn’t my fault!”

“Pray to God for forgiveness of your sin.”

“I didn’t sin!” Terra cried.  “You sinned Momma! You didn’t tell me, and they made fun of me!”

“Go to your closet and pray,” Mrs. Markov said.

“No!” Terra cried.  Mrs. Markov grabbed Terra by her arms and began to drag her towards the open closet.  “Momma, no!” Terra cried again.  The window flew open.  Mrs. Markov looked at the now open window then back at Terra.  

“You spawn of the devil,” she whispered.  She threw Terra into the closet then shut and locked the door.  Terra pounded on the door.

She was alone in the dark, with no food, water, or a bathroom.  There was no telling when she would be let out, especially given how far she had rebelled today.

No! Terra thought.  No, no, no, no, no! 

“Momma!” Terra shrieked, pounding on the door.  “Let me out! Please!”

There was no answer.

Raven was sitting next to Gar Logan on his couch.  They had been dating for a few months now.  Now that the movie was finished, Raven’s thoughts drifted to Terra Markov.  She remembered the way she had cried, how scared she had been.  Raven felt a strong surge of regret and tears filled her eyes.

“Raven?” Gar asked, sounding alarmed.  “Raven, what’s wrong?” 

“It’s nothing,” Raven said, trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.  

“Raven, don’t shut me out.  You can tell me anything,” he said.

“Gar, I did a horrible thing today,” Raven said.

“What? Tell me.”

Raven didn’t answer.

“Raven, please.”

He sure is persistent, Raven thought.  She sighed.

“Well, this is what happened,” she began and told him what had happened in the showers that morning.

“You’re right,” he said.  “That was mean.  Doesn’t sound like you at all.  What are you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know,” Raven admitted.

Chapter Text

An article from the Jump City Times:

RAIN OF STONES REPORTED

It was reliably reported by several people that a rain of stones came down from a clear blue sky on 8^th Avenue on Saturday, August 14^th.  The stones only rained down on the home of Margaret Markov, who lives at home alone with her 3-year-old daughter, Terra.  The rain of stones damaged the roof seriously, with the total damage cost being $50,000.  Mrs. Markov could not be reached for comment.

Terra didn’t know how long she’d been in the closet.  It felt like ages.  Finally, the closet door opened.

“Go to bed,” Mrs. Markov said.  Terra nodded, and quickly walked off to her room.  As she changed into her nightgown, she remembered how the light bulb had exploded, the desk had moved, and the window had flown open.  It hadn’t been the first time something like that had happened.  There had been one other time, when she was three.

It was a hot day in August.  Terra was outside while her mother was indoors.  She noticed the neighbor girl, Emily Portland, laying in the sun in her bathing suit.  Terra cautiously approached her.  When Terra was at her side, Emily awoke.  

“Hi, Terra,” she said warmly. 

Terra didn’t answer.  Instead, the small, blue-eyed girl pointed to Emily’s chest.

“What are those?” Terra asked.  Emily looked at her.

“Breasts,” Emily answered, her lips twitching slightly.  

“Oh,” Terra said.  “I won’t get them.” 

Emily looked confused.

“Sure you will,” she said.  “But not until you’re older.”

“Momma says good girls don’t get them,” Terra said.

“Your momma said what?” Emily said, her voice sounding slightly angry.

“That good girls don’t,” Terra repeated quietly.

“Well, doesn’t your mother have them? "

“She said she was bad when she made me, and that’s why she has them.  She calls them…dirtypillows,” Terra said, feeling rather confused.

Emily opened he"r mouth, but at that moment, a shrill voice rang out.

“TERRA!”

Terra paled and tears filled her eyes as she ran back towards her house.  Mrs. Markov was standing near the back door, looking far angrier than Terra had ever seen her look before.  

“Leave her alone!” Emily shouted.

Mrs. Markov paid Emily no attention.  She grabbed Terra’s arm tightly and dragged her back into the house.  

“Momma, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry—“ Terra said once she was inside, but Mrs. Markov cut her off.  

“I toldyou, you are never to talk to that whore!”

“I’m sorry, I forgot!” Terra wailed, now crying.

“Go to your closet and pray!” 

“I don’t want to go to the closet!” Terra cried, now crying harder than ever.  Something hit the roof of the house.  Terra glanced up at the ceiling, but Mrs. Markov, who was now crazed with anger, seized her by the throat.  Terra choked.

“You’ll never look at that naked evilness ever again!” Mrs. Markov shrieked as Terra found it quite difficult to breathe.

A stone fell through the roof and landed on the floor with a loud crash.  Another stone fell through the roof, then another.  In a matter of seconds, stones were raining down and falling through the roof.  Mrs. Markov’s grip on Terra’s throat tightened.  Terra began to feel faint.  The stones were crashing through the roof even harder.

“Stop it! Stop it, witch!” Mrs. Markov snarled, but the stones kept on coming, and Terra’s world faded to black.

How Terra’s mother had managed to pay for all the damage costs was beyond her.  According to the neighbors (who had gathered outside to watch it, apparently) and the news article on it, the stones had only hit her house, Terra recalled.  It was quite weird.  Of course, at three, she hadn’t thought much of it then, and nothing like that had ever happened again.  Until this morning.  It was her who had made those things happen, she was sure of it now.  It intrigued her.

On Friday morning, Miss Smith entered the locker room.  No one made a sound.

“I want you all to know you did a really shitty thing to Terra Markov yesterday morning,” Miss Smith said.  “A really shitty thing.”

The girls said nothing.  They glanced at each other and away from Miss Smith.  None of them had ever heard a teacher call anything ‘shitty’.  Kathryn simply stood there with her arms crossed.  Miss Smith couldn’t do anything to her—her father was a lawyer, and ran the entire city.  No one dared go against him.

“At any time during your little ‘joke’ did any of you stop to think that Terra Markov has feelings? That she’s a real person, just like the rest of you? Well? Did you?” Miss Smith said.

Raven Roth was looking at the floor.  Kathryn continued to look straight ahead.

“You all have a week’s detention.”

The girls sighed in relief.  Kathryn let out a laugh.

“But it will be my detention,” Miss Smith continued.  “And I am going to run you ragged.”

A few of the girls looked nervous now.  

“I won’t come,” Kathryn said.

“If you don’t come, the result will be three days’ suspension and refusal of your prom tickets,” Miss Smith said.  All the girls looked horrified.  Kathryn felt furious.   

She can’t do that! She can’t ban me from the prom! And for that scrawny fuck Terra Markov? That stupid little shit won't even show up at the prom! 

“My idea for what you did yesterday was three days’ suspension and refusal of your prom tickets,” Miss Smith said.  “Unfortunately, the school’s administration wing is staffed almost entirely by men, and they don’t truly understand how utterly awful what you did was.  So, you received a week’s detention instead.  Now get changed.”  Miss Smith left.

“She can’t do this! She can’t get away with this! Come on, if we all stick together, she can’t do anything to us!” Kathryn shouted.

“Kathryn, shut up!” Raven said flatly.

Terra didn’t go to school on Friday. She knew she’d have to go back on Monday. She was currently sitting on her bed, staring intently at a pencil on her dresser, trying to make it move. It hadn’t moved. She concentrated harder. She thought she saw it move a little. She took a breath and tried again. Nothing happened. She had done it before. Why couldn’t she do it now?

Maybe it was a fluke. Maybe I can’t do anything. I’ll just be stuck here for the rest my life, friendless and alone—

“No!” Terra cried. “No, no, no!” She looked up. The pencil was floating in the air. She smiled. She’d done it.

Chapter Text

Raven was sitting in Gar Logan’s car after detention. Miss Smith hadn’t been kidding when she said she was going to run them ragged—Raven couldn’t remember a time when she had sweated more in her life. Kathryn hadn’t been there, just like she had said, but that wasn’t Raven’s problem. As Gar reached out to start the car, Raven spoke.

“Gar? If I asked you to do something for me, would you do it? No matter what it was?” Raven asked. She had to ask him to do this now, before she lost her nerve. She’d thought about it all weekend, this was what she wanted.

“Of course, Raven. I love you,” Gar said. “What is it?”

Raven took a deep breath.

“I want you to take Terra Markov to the prom,” Raven said.

There was a moment of silence. Then Gar said, “WHAT?”

“What’s the problem?” Raven asked.

“You want me to take Terra Markov to the prom? I know you’re trying to make up for what you did, but this is crazy.”

“Why?” Raven said. “I’m just trying to do something nice for her. How is that crazy?”

“It’s like something out of a movie,” Gar said. “What do you think this will do for her?”

“It will make her happy,” Raven said. “She could fit in.”

“Raven, I’m not sure taking her to the prom will help her fit in.”

“Maybe it won’t,” Raven said. “But I know it would make her happy. She has a huge crush on you.”

“She does?” Gar said. “I never noticed!”

“Shocker,” Raven muttered. “Gar, please. It’s the way I want it.”

“Okay,” Gar said. “I’ll ask her.”

Raven smiled at him. She had been pretty certain he’d do it, since he’d do pretty much anything she asked him to, but there had been some part of her that had doubted he would agree.

“Thanks,” she said.

On Monday night, Terra was sitting on her bed, trying to levitate her dresser. Her powers had grown much more powerful at a very quick rate. The dresser was hovering a few millimeters off the ground. It was heavy. She used her powers to gently let it down.

“Terra?” her mother called. “Have you said your prayers yet?”

“Yeah,” Terra called back. This was not true, but her mother didn’t need to know that. She levitated her dresser again, and got it up a bit higher this time. Terra smiled faintly. She was definitely improving.

From Prom Night: the Case of Terra Markov by Victor Stone.

A lot of people say that Raven Roth was part of the plot to humiliate Terra at the Prom. A few people even say that Gar Logan was in on it. I knew both Raven and Gar, and can say that neither of them were in on the plot to humiliate her on Prom Night. I am certain both had good intentions, of course, but Raven asking Gar to take Terra was part of a deadly chain of events that ended in disaster.

“Terra?”

Terra, who was studying a school book in the library, looked up. It was Gar Logan. Her stomach did a flip-flop. Gar Logan was talking to her. His green eyes held a nervous look.

“Yes?” she whispered.

“Um…well, I was wondering if you don’t already have a date for the prom, would you like to go with me?”

There was a moment of silence while Terra struggled to find her voice.

“What?” Terra said once she found her voice, certain she’d misheard him. There was no way Gar Logan would ask her to the prom.

Other students were watching them curiously, Jade Nguyen, Rose Wilson, and Angel Robertson--all of whom were members of Kathryn Walker's clique--among them.

“The prom,” Gar continued, sounding more nervous by the second. “I know this is a late notice since it’s Wednesday, and tomorrow is the last day they sell tickets, but—"

“I don’t like tricks,” Terra said softly. “I’m not stupid, you know! You all can’t go on tricking me forever!”

“It’s not a trick. I’m asking you because I want to go with you.”

“You have a girlfriend. Raven Roth,” Terra said.

“Raven doesn’t want to go,” Gar said. “She was okay with me taking you.”

Terra bit her lip. She hesitated.

“I’d really love to go,” she said softly.

“Then go,” Gar encouraged. “It’ll be so much fun.”

“No,” Terra said. “They’ll all laugh at me.”

“No they won’t. I won’t let anyone laugh at you,” Gar said.

Terra swallowed. Finally, she nodded.

“Okay,” she said. “I accept.”

Gar beamed.

Terra had never felt happier in her life.

Chapter Text

Kathryn exited the movie theater, pulling Frank Webb behind her.

“What is with you, babe?” Frank asked.

“Shut up, you idiot!” Kathryn demanded. “I need to talk to you alone!”

Kathryn dragged Frank into his car.

“Hey, Frank, I need you to do something for me,” she purred seductively. She pulled him into a kiss. “Please?” she said when they broke apart.

“Okay,” he whispered. “Anything for you, Kitten.” Frank and her father were the only ones who could call her ‘Kitten’.

“Frank, I hate Terra Markov so much—I’m out of the prom and my father won’t sue the school—I need you.”

“What, babe?” Kathryn smirked. “I need you to help me play a joke on Terra Markov.”

From Telekinesis: the Black Prom by Gerald Potter

We know that Terra possessed extraordinary telekinetic powers and that her mother had peculiar religious views. So, it is logical to assume that her mother’s reaction to Terra’s powers was extreme.

It was Wednesday night. Terra opened a book she had checked out that day in the library, which was called Psychic Powers of the Mind, and was written by Daniel Waters. She skimmed the pages until she found something of interest.

“Telekinesis,” she read to herself. “The ability to move objects or cause changes in objects by force of mind. This exceptional ability has usually been reported in times of crisis or extreme stress.”

So that’s what my power is called, Terra realized. Telekinesis.

She closed the book and put it in a dresser drawer, under her clothes, where the material for her dress was located. She had bought the material after school and had plans to start on it tomorrow.

“Terra!” Terra’s mother called from downstairs. “Supper is ready!”

“Coming, Momma,” Terra called back. She would have to tell her mother about the prom. She was going to bring it up at dinner.

Terra exited her room and went downstairs. She sat down at the table and poked at her spaghetti, unsure of how to bring up the prom.

“Terra, you haven’t touched your spaghetti,” Mrs. Markov said.

“Momma, I need to try and be more like the other kids, to try and get along with everyone else. Please realize that,” Terra began.

“What are you talking about, Terra?”

Terra took a deep breath.

“Momma, I’ve been invited to the prom.”

“Prom?” her mother repeated, sounding scandalized.

“Yes. Gar Logan invited me, and he’s a very nice boy—"

“No. You will not go.”

“He promised to pick me up at 8:00, to come in and meet you beforehand and have me back by 11:30, and—"

“No, no, no!”

“I’ve accepted,” Terra said. Mrs. Markov threw tea in Terra’s face.

“You are not going, and that is final,” Mrs. Markov said.

“Momma, please—sit down and talk with me—" Terra cried.

Mrs. Markov got up and began to walk away. Terra’s temper started to rise, and she used her powers to slam the door to the kitchen shut. Mrs. Markov spun around.

“Devil’s child,” Mrs. Markov whispered.

“No, Momma,” Terra said. “It’s called telekinesis. Other people can do it, too, I’m not the only one. I read about it. And I’m going to the prom.”

“Go to your closet and pray,” Mrs. Markov said.

“No, Momma,” Terra said. Mrs. Markov raised her hand to strike Terra. “No, Momma!” Terra repeated, this time more forcefully. “Things are going to be different around here. I told Gar I’d go with him, and you can’t stop me. I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”  Mrs. Markov only stared at Terra in shock and disbelief.

On Thursday afternoon, Raven was coloring the mural for Prom with Kori Anders.

“Raven?” Kori asked.

“Yes?”

“Everyone’s talking. Why is Gar going with Terra?”

“Because I asked him to take her. I can’t speak for you or anyone else, but I feel horrible about what we did, and I need to atone for it,” Raven said.

“I don’t really know what got into us,” Kori said. “I feel bad now. I pushed her and laughed about it. She panicked and we laughed at her. But this whole prom thing. Where does that leave the rest of us?”

“I don’t know,” Raven said. “I suppose Kathryn’s mad about it?”

“She is furious, Raven,” Kori responded.

As if on cue, Kathryn Walker walked across the gym floor over to where Kori’s sister Coma was standing.

“What’s going on over there?” Raven muttered. Kori shrugged, and they continued coloring.

“Where is it, Coma?” Kathryn asked when she arrived where Coma was standing. Coma showed Kathryn the ballot.

“Here,” she said. “Hurry up, Karen went to the bathroom and I don’t know when she’ll be back. I’m not supposed to show you this.”

“Calm down,” Kathryn muttered, reading the list of names.

Victor Stone and Karen Beecher

Kathryn nearly snorted. Victor Stone was the school’s star jock, but Karen was the class president.

Kori Anders and Dick Grayson

As much as she hated Kori, she had to admit that it was possible.

Jenny Hex and Wally West

There wasn’t a chance. Jenny couldn’t win an election if her life depended on it. There was only one left.

Gar Logan and Terra Markov

Kathryn stared at the last pair in disbelief. So it was true.

“That bitch,” she whispered.

“I know, right?” Coma said. “So, what’re you going to do?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Kathryn said. She handed the ballot back to Coma and walked off, dialing Frank’s number on her cell phone.

Chapter Text

“This is a big risk for a joke,” Billy Numbers, one of Frank’s friends and Coma’s boyfriend, complained.

“You want out?” Frank asked.

“No,” Billy said quickly.  They were at a farm, nearing the pig pen.

“Are you sure he won’t come?” Kathryn asked, referring to the farmer.  

“He’s at a funeral in Nevada, Kathryn.  I told you.  He won’t come back while we’re still here,” Frank said.  They approached the pig pen.  

“Well, what’re you waiting for?” Kathryn said.

“You want to do it?” Frank asked.  Kathryn quickly shook her head ‘no’.  He entered the pig pen, holding a sledgehammer.  After a few minutes, he managed to corner one.  He raised the sledgehammer, and then brought it down.  There was a sickening thud.  

From Prom Night: the Case of Terra Markov, by Victor Stone.

I don’t think anyone could have predicted what happened on Prom Night.  No one actually knew how much Kathryn Walker hated Terra Markov.  No one knew how far she would go to humiliate her in front of everyone.

On Friday night, Terra put the finishing touches on her dress.  It was blue and floor length.  She didn’t dare get the color red, so she had picked blue.  She looked at it when she finished.  It was actually quite pretty.  She smiled, both excited and nervous for tomorrow night.

At 11:00 on Friday night, Frank and Kathryn were in the school’s gym.  Kathryn was holding a flashlight while Frank set up the bucket of blood.  The blood had been drained from the pig he killed.

“Come on, you idiot, hurry up!” Kathryn hissed.

“I’m the idiot?” he asked.  “You’re the one that can’t hold the fucking flashlight straight.  Besides, I’m almost done.”  He climbed down the ladder, and then continued to set the rope up under the stage.  Kathryn followed him, holding the flashlight.  

“When you pull the string, there will be a little slack, but not much,” Frank said.  “After you pull the string, run.  We could get in serious trouble for this.”

“Okay,” Kathryn said.  “Listen, I have to make a phone call.  I’ll meet you in the car.”

“Fine,” Frank said, and exited the school, but not without retrieving the ladder first.  Once he was gone, Kathryn reached for her phone, then paused. She shined her flashlight around the gymnasium, looking at the prom decorations. They were beautiful, and she wouldn't be there to enjoy it.

This was all Terra Markov's fault. Thinking about the Freak brought on a fresh wave of anger in her.

It wasn't Kathryn's fault that Terra was too stupid to know she was on her period that day. And she couldn't believe that people took the Freak's side, either. That holier-than-thou bitch went around saying that everyone but her and her mother were going to Hell and people stuck up for her? Even Kathryn's father was too much of a chicken to do anything about it (he had said that it would make them look bad).

The livid blonde took a few deep breaths; that freak was going to get it tomorrow night.

Kathryn turned her cell phone on and dialed Coma’s number. Coma may not have skipped detention with her, but Coma was a good enough friend to show her the prom ballot. Kathryn was confident that Coma would do this for her. Besides, Coma owed her for not siding with her against Miss Smith.

“Kathryn?”

“Hey, Coma.  Listen, I need a favor.”

“What?”

“I need you to make sure Terra and Gar get voted King and Queen of the Prom tomorrow night.”

“Why?”

“Because, there’s a bucket of pig’s blood directly above the place where the queen will be crowned.  Terra gets elected Queen of the Prom, and then gets pig’s blood dumped on her.  It’ll be the best prank in school history.”

“Okay, I’ll make sure they win.  You’re right Kathryn; this will be the best prank in school history.”

“Thanks.  Bye!” Kathryn said.  

“Bye.”

Kathryn hung up.  She smirked.

“Oh, I can’t wait till tomorrow night,” she whispered, exiting the school to meet Frank in his car.

Chapter Text

It was the night of Saturday, May 25^th.  Terra glanced at her clock.  It said 7:45.  She had just put her dress on.  She started to apply make-up to her face.  As she was applying some eyeliner, her mother came in.

“Take off the dress,” Mrs. Markov said.

“No, Momma,” Terra said.

“I can see your dirtypillows.  Take off the dress.”

“Breasts, Momma,” Terra said.  “They’re called breasts.  Every woman has them.”  She put the eyeliner away, and took some pale lipstick out, and began to apply it to herself.

“Take off the dress.  We’ll burn it, and ask for forgiveness—"

“Momma, no!” Terra said, capping the lipstick.  She grabbed the corsage that Gar had given her earlier, and put it around her wrist.  She looked out the window.  Gar wasn’t there yet.

“He’s not coming,” Mrs. Markov said.

“Yes, he is, Momma, stop it! I don’t need you making me more nervous than I already am!”  She ran a comb through her hair.  She had added a little extra curl for the Prom.  Her mother suddenly slapped herself across the face.  Terra set the comb down.

“Stop hurting yourself, Momma!” Terra cried.  Mrs. Markov slapped herself again.  

“They’re all going to laugh at you!” Mrs. Markov cried.  

“Be quiet! Sit down, and just be quiet!” Terra shrieked, using her powers to force her mother on her bed.  She looked out the window again.  A car was pulling up in the driveway.  

“Terra, stay here with me, I’ll tell him you changed your mind—"

“Be quiet!” Terra shouted.  Her mother fell silent.  “Stay there and keep quiet until I leave!”  She headed downstairs.  She heard the doorbell ring, and she opened the door.

“Hey,” Gar said.  He was in a tux, and looking very handsome.  

“Hi,” she said.  “Do you—do you like me?”

“You’re beautiful,” he said, and led her to his car.

From Telekinesis: the Black Prom by Gerald Potter

Kathryn Walker was the one who came up with the plot to humiliate Terra Markov at the Prom.  However, she couldn’t do it alone.  She had her boyfriend, Frank Webb, help her get the pig blood.  But how to ensure that Terra and Gar were voted King and Queen? We know that Gar and Terra, in fact, were voted King and Queen.  But shortly after the Black Prom, there were King and Queen ballots found in the dumpster outside the Murakami High School gymnasium.  According to those ballots, Kori Anders and Dick Grayson won.  That means that Kathryn Walker had another accomplice.

Coma glanced at the clock.  It was nearly 8:00.  Billy should have been here over half an hour ago.  As if on cue, he came hurrying into the gym, holding a stack of ballots.

“About time you got here,” Coma said, annoyed.  “So, you got the ballots?”

“Yes,” he said, handing them to her.  Coma rifled through them.  According to the ballots he just handed her, Gar and Terra would win.  

“Okay, you put them away somewhere until it’s time to vote on the King and Queen.  I’ll dispose of the real ballots in the dumpster by the gym.”

He nodded, and she handed the fake ballots back to him.

They pulled up into the Murakami High School parking lot at 8:10.  Gar started to get out.

“Wait!” Terra said.  Gar paused.  “Can we just wait here for a little bit?”

“Sure,” Gar said.  “Hey, want to hear a joke?”

“Okay,” Terra said.

“If your mother is from Iceland, and your father is from Cuba, what does that make you?”

“I don’t know,” Terra answered.

“An ice cube!” Gar said.  Terra laughed.

“You’re really funny!” she said.  Gar brightened.

“You think I’m funny? Really?”

“Yeah, you’re hilarious,” Terra said, smiling.  Gar grinned.  

“I’m ready to go in now,” Terra said.  Gar nodded, and opened the door.

“Wait here for a minute,” he said.  Terra nodded.  After a moment, he came around to her side of the car and opened her door for her.  He extended his hand towards her.  She grabbed it.  They walked into the gym together, holding hands.

Chapter Text

When they entered the gym, Terra was stunned at how beautiful it was.  The banner, which was hung on the stage where the King and Queen would be crowned, was beautifully colored.  Many students were dancing to the music being played by the band.  

“Nervous?” Gar asked her.  

“Yeah,” Terra admitted softly.

“Don’t be,” he said.  “They’re a good crowd.  Really.”

As they started to walk towards a table, people looked shocked at the sight of Terra.

“Hey, Gar,” a boy with black hair greeted.  He was accompanied by Kori Anders.

“Hey, Dick!  I got another joke for you.  What’s a parasite?”

Dick didn’t answer.

“Something you see in Paris!” Gar said.  Terra giggled.

“You’re not funny.”

“Terra thinks so!”

“I don’t.”

Kori turned to Terra.

“They’ll be at that for awhile.  They have that argument every day,” the red-head explained.  She eyed Terra’s dress.  “Oh my God! Where’d you get that dress? I love it!”

“I made it,” Terra said.  Kori’s eyes widened.

“No way!”

“Yes,” Terra said, blushing.  “I—I enjoy sewing.”

“Hey, Kori!” Dick said.  He and Gar had apparently resolved their argument.  “Want to dance?”

Kori smiled.

“I’d love to!”

Dick led Kori onto the dance floor.  Gar turned to Terra.

“You know, I’d say she wants to be your friend,” he said.  Terra looked at him.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he said.  Gar paused.  “Do you want to dance?”

Terra hesitated.  She didn’t know how, but didn’t want to admit that quite yet.

“Can we just sit down for a little bit?”

“Sure,” Gar said, and led her to a table.  They sat in silence for a moment.  “Do you want some punch?” Gar asked.

“Yes, please,” Terra said.  Gar got up to retrieve the punch.

“Terra?” 

Terra looked up.  It was Miss Smith.  She was looking very pretty. Her brown hair was up, and she was wearing a yellow dress.

“Hello, Miss Smith,” Terra said.  “You look very pretty.”

Miss Smith sat down next to Terra.

“Thank you, Terra,” she said.  “You are beautiful.”

Terra smiled.

“Thank you.  That’s really nice of you to say so.  I know I’m not—not really—but thank you anyway,” she said.

“I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true,” Miss Smith told her.  “I remember my own prom.  My date was a lot taller than me, and the corsage he gave me clashed with my dress, but it was magic.  It was wonderful.  I’ve never had another date like it.  Is it like that for you?”

“It’s very nice,” Terra said.

“Is that all?”

“No.  It’s so wonderful, I can’t describe it,” Terra said.  Miss Smith laid a hand on Terra’s arm.

“You’ll never forget it,” she said.  She got up as Gar was returning with the punch.  “Have a wonderful time, Terra.”  Gar sat down as Miss Smith was leaving.

“What did she want?” Gar asked, setting the cups of punch down on the table.

“We were just talking,” Terra said.  “She told me about her own prom.”

From Prom Night: the Case of Terra Markov by Victor Stone

The subject of Terra’s mother is one that needs more study.  Since she is dead, we don’t know a whole lot about her.  However, the little evidence we have suggests that Mrs. Markov was waiting for Terra to return home on Prom Night.

“Though shalt not suffer a witch to live,” Mrs. Markov whispered.  She was certain of it now.  Her daughter was possessed by the Devil.  There was only one way to save her. “She must be sacrificed.”

Gar looked at Terra.

“Do you want to dance?” he asked again.

“No,” Terra said.  “I—I don’t know how.”

“It’s okay,” Gar said.  “This is a slow song.  Come on, I’ll show you.”  He took her by the hand and led her to the dance floor.  

“Okay, we just have to stand close to each other and shift our weight back and forth, just like everyone else is doing,” Gar said.  Terra nodded, looking nervous.  Gar placed one of her hands on his shoulder, and held the other one.  He guided her along.  After a couple minutes, she got the hang of it, and tentatively rested her head on his shoulder.

“Thank you, Gar,” she said.

“For what?”

“For taking me—for being so nice to me,” Terra said.  “I’m really glad I got to be your date tonight.”

“Me too,” Gar said. 

“Is it time yet?” Kathryn asked for the third time that night.  Frank checked his watch.  It was almost 9:00.

“Yeah, we’re going now.”

Kathryn grinned.

“Excellent,” she said.

After the song ended, Gar began to lead Terra back to the table.  The voting for the King and Queen would start soon.  The more time he spent with Terra, the more he liked her.  She was sweet, nice, and pretty.  The things the other students said about her weren’t true at all.  She wasn’t Raven, but she was definitely special.  When they arrived at their table, Gar gently pressed his lips against her cheek.

Terra raised a hand to the place where he had kissed her, blushing.

Chapter Text

When Terra sat down, her hand was still touching the place where Gar had kissed her.  She didn’t understand.  Did this mean he liked her? But he had a girlfriend.  She was certain the only reason he asked her to the prom was because he was trying to be nice.  She decided she’d figure it out later.  Right now, she just wanted to concentrate on having a great night.

“Hey, Terra! Hey, Gar!” 

Terra glanced up.  It was Kori, accompanied by Dick.

“Do you mind if we sit here?” Kori continued.  

“Sure, go ahead,” Gar said.  Dick and Kori sat down.

“The voting starts soon,” Dick said.

“What time?” Terra asked.

“The voting starts at 9: 20.  The winner is announced at 9:35.  They triple check all the votes,” Dick explained.

“Terra?” a voice from behind them said.  Terra turned around.  Karen Beecher, accompanied by Victor Stone, was standing there.

“Hello, Karen,” Terra said.

“You look great!”

“Thanks,” Terra said shyly.  

“Hey, Gar,” Vic said.  “What’re you doing after prom?”

“Well, Terra and I are going to grab a bite to eat—“

“Aw, you’re not going to expose her to that tofu crap, are you?” Vic said.  

“There’s nothing wrong with tofu!” Gar said.

“I’ve never had tofu,” Terra commented.

“Lucky you,” Vic told her.  “It’s disgusting.”

“It is not!”

“It’s fake meat!”

“I don’t eat meat!”

“Terra, where’d you get your dress? It’s amazing!” Karen said, leaving Vic and Gar to their argument (which didn’t actually last long; they soon started talking about a video game).  

“She made it!” Kori said.  Karen’s eyes widened. 

“Did you really?”

“Yes,” Terra said, blushing.  “I like sewing.”

“That’s incredible!”

“Thank you,” Terra said.  Karen glanced at the clock.  It was 9:16.  

“Vic, we have to get going! The voting’s going to start in a few minutes!” Karen exclaimed, effectively ending Gar and Vic’s conversation.  “See you later, Terra!”

“See you!” Vic said, and they left.  

From The Black Prom: My Story, by Raven Roth

I never meant for any of it to happen.  I was just trying to help her.  I didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt.

Upon arriving at the school, Kathryn and Frank quickly snuck into the gym and under the stage.  She gripped the rope.

“You’ll know when they’re under there.  They’ll be playing the school song,” Frank whispered to her.  “That’s when you pull the rope.”

“Right,” Kathryn muttered.

Coma Anders passed their table at 9:20, passing out two ballots to them.  Terra looked at it, and then her jaw dropped.

“Gar, we’re on here!”

“Yeah, everyone votes for single candidates, and their dates kind of get dragged along into it,” Gar told her.  “Do you want to decline?”

“Do you?” Terra asked.

“Hell, no,” Gar said, grinning.  “If you win, you just have to sit up there on stage for the school song and wave a—a—"

“Scepter,” Dick supplied.

“Yeah, a scepter, and look like a damn idiot,” Gar said.

“They also take your picture for the yearbook,” Kori said.

“Yeah, that’s right, they take your picture for the yearbook, so everyone can see you looked like a damn idiot.”

“Who do we vote for?” Terra asked.  

“Let’s just vote for ourselves,” Gar said.

“Ourselves?” Terra repeated.

“It’s okay, Terra, everyone who’s on the ballot votes for themselves,” Kori assured her, marking the box next to her and Dick’s names.

“To the Devil with false modesty!” Gar said.  Terra giggled.  

“To the Devil,” she said.  Gar marked the box next to their names.  A few minutes later, Coma came by and collected their ballots.

After collecting nearly all the ballots, Coma found Billy.  He was holding the fake ballots, along with a few real ones.  

“Hand in the fake ballots,” Coma said.  Billy handed her the real ballots he was holding, and walked over to the table where Karen and Vic were. 

Coma heard him say, “Here are the ballots,” before she slipped out.  She quickly approached the dumpster.  She opened it, and dropped the ballots in it.  She closed the lid, and slipped back inside the gym.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Karen called at 9:34.  “It’s time to announce the King and Queen.”

Everything got silent.

“The King and Queen of the prom: Gar Logan and Terra Markov!”

“We won?” Terra whispered, unable to believe it.  “We won?”

Chapter Text

Terra sat there, unable to believe it.  They’d won? They’d really won?

Kori beamed at her.

“Go on,” she said.  “You won!”

“Congratulations,” Dick said.  Gar got up and offered his hand to her.  Smiling broadly, she took it as he helped her up.  She’d never been so happy in her life.  Everyone was clapping wildly.  Terra and Gar walked towards the stage, Gar holding Terra’s arm.  It was 9:36.  

Kathryn licked her lips.  It was nearly time to pull the rope.  They’d be up there any minute now.

“What if they hadn’t won?” Frank whispered to her.

“I rigged it,” Kathryn said.  “They were guaranteed to win.  Coma did what I asked her to.”

When they were on stage, Terra was handed a bouquet of flowers, and a scepter was thrust into Gar’s hand.  A tiara was placed on her head, and a crown was placed on Gar’s.  The band began to play the school song as Wally West began snapping photos for the yearbook.  It was 9:37.

“They’re there,” Frank whispered to her.  “You have to pull it now.”

Kathryn gave a weak tug at the rope.  She was suddenly very nervous to pull the rope.

“I knew you wouldn’t have the guts to do it,” Frank continued.  “I got the blood.  I’m not pulling the rope for you.  That bucket can sit up there until Hell freezes over for all I care.”

“Shut up!” Kathryn hissed at him.  The school song continued to play.  It was now or never.  She yanked the rope.

From Prom Night: the Case of Terra Markov by Victor Stone

When the bucket went, nearly everyone was shocked into silence.  Coma Anders and Billy Numbers, however, were howling with laughter, probably because they were in on the prank.  It wasn’t that hard to figure out that they were in on it, since both were supposed to collect the ballots, and Billy was late collecting the ballots—he was only in time to collect a few.  Coma ended up collecting most of them, and later, ballots that said Dick and Kori won were found in the dumpster after Prom Night.  

Gar was furious. 

He shouted, “What the hell?” but before he could do anything more, he was hit in the head with the bucket, rendering him unconscious.  But everyone had already started laughing.  I was, too.  It wasn’t funny, but we all laughed anyway.  I suppose it was because she was Terra Markov.  Watching Terra fit in that night was amazing, but then that happened.  We’d always laughed at Terra, so we laughed.  When Terra realized that everyone was laughing at her, she snapped.  That was when the slaughter began.

Terra was suddenly soaked in something warm and wet.  The clapping and the cheering died away instantly.  She stood there, dripping.  Looking down at herself, Terra was mortified to see that she was covered with blood.  There were a couple people howling with laughter.  She was vaguely aware of Gar shouting something, and then a bucket came down and hit him in the head.  He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.  After that, another person started laughing, followed by another one, and soon they were all laughing.  They were laughing at her again.

Tears pooled in her eyes.  She’d been so stupid, thinking someone had actually cared for her—who would care about her? She was just some awkward little reject, who didn’t have enough confidence to speak above a whisper.  She remembered what her mother had told her:

‘They’re all going to laugh at you.’

Her mother had been right.  They’d fooled her into coming to this prom, and gotten her in front of everyone and made her the butt of the joke again.  

Why won’t they stop laughing, I want them to stop laughing, why won’t they stop, why won’t they stop? Terra thought in despair.  Suddenly, her despair transformed into rage.  Terra snarled.  

How dare they? How dare they laugh at me, when I’m about to cry, when I want them to stop? I never did anything to them!

She could make them stop laughing.  It was time for her to laugh at them for once.  She reached out with her mind, and slammed both sets of double doors closed, and held them there.  The laughing gave way to screams of panic as the students pushed desperately at the doors.  She felt a sort of twisted pleasure.  It was almost funny, watching her tormentors scream in terror. They were trapped by her, the girl they once laughed at.  She could easily turn the sprinklers on, ruin their hair and their dresses, and she could laugh at them for once—

She reached out with her mind again, and the sprinklers turned on.  This caused everyone to panic even more.  

Who’s laughing now? Terra thought with vindictive pleasure.  She telekinetically pushed the water, which was quickly pooling on the floor, away from herself.  Principal Jones climbed on stage and began to shout into the microphone, trying to tell everyone to calm down.  He made the mistake of grabbing it, and found himself unable to let go.  

Terra watched in morbid fascination as he jerked and twitched, his eyes bulging, and hair standing up on end.  

He looks funny, Terra noticed.  It was at that point that Terra went off the deep end.  They can all look funny!

Reaching out with her powers, she gave a powerful yank, and some of the lights went out.  The microphone emitted sparks, and the mural burst into flames. 

Calling even more upon her powers, she threw the gym into even more chaos, overturning tables and chairs, and a basketball backboard was ripped loose and crushed a girl Terra recognized as Coma Anders.  

By now the remaining people were few.  She saw the teacher who always made fun of her.  She telekinetically picked up some crackling cords, and wrapped them around him.  He jerked and twitched, just as Principal Jones had.  

At the other end of the room, Toni Monetti, who was next to a black cord connected to the band equipment, was jerking and twitching, and her whole dress was on fire.  She fell forward, still twitching. 

 As the last of the people in the gym perished, she slowly walked down the stage steps and towards the doors, careful to use her powers to keep the water away from herself.  She coldly regarded the bodies of her fellow students, the bodies of some of her teachers, and the roaring fire that was now in the gym.  She felt a very slight doubt in her.  Had she really done that? She blinked, and the doubt was gone.  

When she reached the doors, they swung open.  She slowly walked out and exited the school as Murakami High School erupted in flames behind her.

Chapter Text

“That bitch,” Frank whispered as Terra left the gym.  He and Kathryn had watched the entire episode from a window after exiting the gym.  “That fucking bitch! She fucked the whole school over!” Frank said as Kathryn pulled him to the back parking lot.

“We have to stop her!” Kathryn told him.

“And get ourselves killed? No, thank you!” Frank said.

“You saw what she did in there!” Kathryn said as the school burst into flames.  “She killed everyone! Coma, Billy, everyone! Toni Monetti burnt up! We have to kill her! It’s the only way to stop her!”

“I did see what she did in there!” Frank said.  “She’s got some kind of freakish power! That’s how she did it! We don’t stand a chance!”

“Coward,” Kathryn taunted.  Frank’s blood boiled.

“You think I’m a coward, do you? Fine, we’ll kill her.  What are we going to kill her with?” he said.

“Give me the keys to your car,” Kathryn said, holding her hand out.  The town whistle started to blow.  

Raven was reading a book on her couch when she heard the town whistle go off.  It was 9:55.  

“What on earth?” Raven muttered, setting her book down.  What was going on?  She grabbed the keys to her car.  She flew out the door, ran to her car and drove off.

From Telekinesis: the Black Prom by Gerald Potter

Terra’s rampage of revenge wasn’t over after she set Murakami High School ablaze.  After she left the school, she didn’t go directly home.  She did some damage to the city before turning home.

She’d get them.  She’d get them all.  Terra was walking down 10^th Street.  Farther down, she spotted a Citgo, with a few cars around.  No one had ever helped her—everyone had just sat back while her classmates tortured her.  They hadn’t shown her mercy, so she wasn’t about to show them any.  She reached out with her mind, and the Citgo exploded.  She ignored the cries of pain and terror as she continued on her way.  She didn’t stop; she just used her powers to pull down power lines, starting more fires, and uncap fire hydrants, so the water went everywhere.  Now they couldn’t put out her fires. 

Raven sped down 16^th Street.  It was 10:15.  She spotted three people on the side of the road and slammed the brakes.  She quickly got out of her car.  As she rushed over to them, she realized they were Miss Smith, Victor Stone and Jenny Hex.  

“What’s going on?” she asked.  “What happened?”

“Terra happened,” Jenny said.

“What do you mean?”

“She was voted queen of the prom,” Jenny said.  “They dumped blood on her.”

“Then what?” Raven asked, trying to keep calm.

“Gar was hit in the head by the bucket, and Terra—she’s got some weird power.  She slammed the doors shut and turned on the water.  Principal Jones got electrocuted.  The school’s burning down.  In all the confusion, I was separated from Wally, and Vic from Karen.  I think we’re the only ones who managed to get out.”  

There was an explosion.  

“What was that?” Vic asked.  

“It came from over there,” Miss Smith said, pointing east.  

“It’s Terra!” Jenny cried. 

Raven bolted back towards her car as Miss Smith, Vic, and Jenny continued down the road.  She sped towards the explosion.  She needed to figure out exactly what was going on.  

Kathryn was driving down 10^th Street.  It was 10:27.  As she was driving by, she noticed that where a Citgo used to be, a fire was raging, and spreading quickly to the residential area around it.  She also noticed some downed power lines near some houses, which were burning.

“That bitch,” she muttered.  “She’s a lunatic!”  She sped on, and turned onto 11^th Avenue.  Up ahead, she spotted a blood-covered figure in a dress.  It was Terra Markov.  

“Floor it,” Frank said.

“I know,” she said.  Kathryn pressed down the gas pedal all the way, and the car went speeding towards Terra.

Soon that bitch won’t be anything but a grease stain in the road, Kathryn thought with relish.

There was something behind her.  Terra spun around.  There was a car speeding towards her.  They were trying to stop her.  They wouldn’t succeed.  She tapped into her powers and seized control of the vehicle.  She steered it around her, completely disregarding the occupants’ terrified screams, then flipped it several times, causing it to explode.  Terra turned towards home.

Raven arrived at the fire on 10^th Street at 10:39.  She got out of her car.  There was a huge fire raging, and a lot of houses nearby were burning as well.  She ran over to a police officer who had just arrived on the scene.  

“What happened?” she asked.

“Gas explosion.”

“Yes, I see that.  But how?” Raven said.

“We’re not sure as of yet.”

Raven nodded, and walked back to her car.  She had a feeling that Jenny was right, and, somehow, Terra was the cause of all this.

Terra arrived home at 10:45.  The house was eerily silent.  She walked upstairs.  After retrieving a blue nightgown from her bedroom, she entered the bathroom.  Using her powers, she started to fill the tub.  When the tub was as full as she wanted it, she telekinetically turned the water off.  She took her shoes off and undressed, letting the blood-covered dress fall to the floor.  She slowly got in the tub.  As she washed herself, the water turned red.  She began to vigorously scrub the blood out of her blonde hair as slow sobs jerked out of her.  

After getting all the blood washed off, Terra stepped out of the tub and drained it.  She pulled her nightgown on and exited the bathroom.  

“Momma?” Terra called softly.  “Momma?”

“Terra,” came the reply.  Terra turned around in time to see the bathroom door swing shut.  Her mother was standing there.

Terra ran towards her mother.

“Momma, it was awful!” the thin girl cried, hugging Mrs. Markov.  “They all laughed at me!”

Mrs. Markov stroked Terra’s hair.

“I should have given you up to God when you were a baby,” Mrs. Markov said.  “Your father and I sinned once, but we promised never again.  We lived without sin at first, like good people.  We slept in the same bed, but never did it.  But, one night, your father came in late, and I could smell the whisky on his breath.  He looking at me in that way, and he took me—and I liked it! I liked it, his dirty hands all over me! We got down on our knees to pray for strength, and I should have ended it then! But I was weak.  But now, the devil has come home.  Let us pray.  For the last time, let us pray.”

Terra nodded tearfully.  

“Our Father, who art in Heaven.  Hallowed be thy name,” they recited.  “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done—“

There was a sharp pain in her back, and Terra let out a pain-filled gasp and stumbled backwards, tumbling down the staircase behind her.

She looked up to see her mother coming down the staircase happily, a bloody knife in hand with which she had stabbed Terra in the back.

Terra scooted across the floor desperately, trying to get away from her mother, but was soon backed into a corner.  Her mother was approaching her with the bloody knife. 

Terra pictured her mother’s heart and imagined it slowing.  Her mother clutched at her chest, and the bloodied knife fell to the floor.  She imagined it slowing further.

Mrs. Markov gasped.

“Slower…” Terra whispered.

Her mother fell to the floor.  Her hands were twitching.

“Full stop,” Terra murmured.  Her mother stopped moving.

Terra approached her mother’s body.

“Momma?” she whispered.  “Momma?” 

She suddenly realized what she’d done.  They were dead, they were all dead, her mother was dead, and the city was burning down.  She had done it.  Overcome with guilt, grief and rage, she screamed at the top of her lungs.  She was unable to look at her mother’s corpse any longer, to stay here.  She stumbled towards the door, which flew open.  She stumbled outside.  The town was burning down, but 8^th Avenue seemed to be okay for now.  

She finally collapsed against a tree, the pain in her back too much.  It didn’t matter to her anymore if she just died.  Her momma was dead. She wept.

It was a little after midnight.  Raven parked her car and got out.  A good portion of Jump City was burning down, helped along by several downed power lines and uncapped fire hydrants.  She had checked out the school, or what was left of it, and the fire had spread to the houses around the school.  She started down 8^th Avenue.  It was the street where Terra lived.  On the end, there were two houses on fire, and Raven knew it would spread.  Over on one of the lawns, she saw a figure against a tree.  She broke into a run.

Upon reaching the figure, she realized it was Terra.  She turned Terra over onto her back.

Who’s there?

Terra hadn’t spoken, but Raven heard her voice just the same.

Raven Roth.

Raven spoke in the same fashion.

You tricked me! You all tricked me!

Terra, I don’t even know what happened, is Gar—

You tricked me, that’s what happened! A dirty trick!

Raven saw a mixture of images and feelings; sadness, fear, and blood.  There had been the dirtiest trick of them all, in a long series of dirty tricks.  She saw the girls chanting, laughing, and hurling tampons that day in the shower as Terra saw them; ugly and all mouth.

See? Dirty tricks! My whole life has been one dirty trick!

Terra, look inside me!

The sensation was odd and terrifying as Raven felt someone—Terra—desperately searching her mind for the truth. 

There was more there than Raven herself knew.  Love for Gar, hate for herself, and hate for Miss Smith.  Raven felt Terra find that Gar had taken her to the prom because Raven asked him to as a measure of atonement.  But there was no hate for Terra personally, no plan to humiliate her in front of everyone.  Raven felt Terra pull back weakly.

Raven, why—why didn’t you all just leave me alone?

Terra—

My momma’s dead, I killed my momma—

Terra—

Raven had no idea how to finish that thought.

I want my momma!

Raven tried to pull away, but found that she was unable to.

My momma’s dead, I want her, it hurts, my back—

Terra was dying.

Momma, I’m sorry—

There was nothing more after that.  Raven stared at Terra’s body in horror.  She was dead.

She scrambled to her feet, and ran—ran away from the fire, away from Terra’s body, away from the destruction.  Tears leaked out of her eyes as she began to sob. 

Chapter Text

From Prom Night: the Case of Terra Markov by Victor Stone

I realize now that what happened on Prom Night was because of the way we treated Terra Markov. Right after Prom Night, I didn’t see that because I was too cut up about nearly everyone being dead to see it. But, really, it was because we treated Terra so badly. I want you all to know that. There will be others like Terra, she won’t be the only person with the power of telekinesis. And if another person with telekinesis is treated like Terra was, another Black Prom will happen. Prom Night happened because we treated Terra horribly.

“Terra Markov was a monster. That’s what you’d all like to believe.” Raven was speaking at Terra’s funeral. Her mother had not allowed her to go to anyone else’s funeral, not even Gar’s, but she was determined to go to Terra’s funeral, and Raven had won in the end.

“You all want to believe she was a monster so that you won’t feel guilty, so that you have someone to blame, so you won’t feel at fault,” Raven continued on, eyeing the crowd. They were dressed in black, their faces full of fake mourning. At Raven’s statement, a few started to mutter angrily.

“It was our fault. But that’s not why we’re gathered here today. Today we are gathered here to pay our respects to Terra, and hope she rests in peace, isn’t that right?” Raven noticed that many were now avoiding her gaze. Of course, they were only there because they wanted to be sure Terra was dead. They weren’t going to listen to what she had to say.

“Terra’s life revolved around being tripped in the hallways, cruel taunts aimed her way, and being the butt of all the jokes. People often scratched graffiti about her into desks.” Raven paused, remembering how many times she’d seen the phrase ‘Terra Markov eats shit’ carved into desks before continuing. “No one did anything to stop it, and we always thought it was just a joke, we weren’t hurting anyone. We never stopped to think that Terra had feelings, too. Now, I wasn’t at the Prom, but I’ve heard that she looked beautiful.” She saw Miss Smith shift slightly in her seat. Vic Stone looked away from Raven’s gaze.

“I heard she was just so happy to be like everyone else, to be there with Gar Logan. I hope it was the best night of her life, before…” Raven trailed off.

“Terra wasn’t a monster,” Raven said. “She was a person; she had feelings, just like us. Why can’t any of you see that?”

“She was a monster!” Jenny cried, tears brimming in her eyes as she leapt out of her seat. “You know what she did, Raven! She killed everyone! She burned down nearly half the city! She killed Kori, Dick, and W-Wally…”

Miss Smith pulled her back into her seat, but now many other people in the crowd were making angry statements. Raven tried her best to go on over them.

“Terra was not a monster! We were the monsters! We still are! Why are you all so blind to that?” Raven cried, her temper rising. They weren’t going to listen. What was the point if they weren’t going to listen?

“May she rest in peace,” Raven said, and walked back to her seat.

A resignation letter from Amy Smith to Vice Principal George Williams

I am returning my contract to you. I know that if I had done more to help Terra, this never would have happened. I can never teach again. 

An excerpt from a resignation letter from George Williams to Superintendant of Schools Josh Banks

I would like for you to accept my resignation as soon as July 5th, if that is agreeable to you and your staff. I feel that I should have been able to prevent the tragedy from occurring. I can no longer perform my duties in my present position. 

From the Black Prom: My Story, by Raven Roth

Prom Night is over with. But you must never forget it. I know I have said this before, but Terra Markov was a real person with feelings. Forgetting her would be a huge mistake. Don’t ever forget Terra Markov.