Phoenix (The Flash - Book 1) [RE-UPLOAD]

Chapter 1 - City of Heroes

Why do our lives unfold the way they do? Is it our choices that determine where we end up or is the future mapped out by a force greater than ourselves?

My name is Zoe Sparks and my story is pretty simple. My whole life, I've dreamed of helping people and making a difference. Like my dad. He was a firefighter, a real-life hero and I idolized him. I wanted to be just like him and I tried, but most of the time, I'd only get myself into trouble.

14 YEARS AGO

Young Zoe Sparks was skating through the streets of Central City, she was being chased by two boys. They were gaining on her and Young Zoe quickly looked behind her before skating faster, picking up speed.

"Excuse me! Sorry! Coming through!" She shouted as she passed people in the street, who quickly got out of her way.

Young Zoe swiftly turned down another street with her pursuers tailing her, she had to slow down so that she didn't wipe out and this gave the boys a chance to catch up.

"Gotcha!" One of the boys said as he reached his arm out.

Young Zoe's eyes went wide before she urged her legs to go faster, she skated just out of his reach and continued to zoom down the street.

"Too slow!" She laughed.

The boys continue to chase her and when Young Zoe saw the fire station up ahead, she rushed towards it. Luckily, the doors were open and she went inside, skating through the garage where there were several firetrucks and other vehicles parked inside. She came to a halt and turned to face the boys, who stopped in front of her once she was cornered.

"End of the road, Sparks," one of the boys sneered.

Young Zoe looked between the boys before charging forward, but the boys anticipated that and each grabbed her by the arms, pinning her against the wall.

"Let me go!" Young Zoe cried.

"Hey!" A loud adult voice echoed through the garage, causing the boys to whip their heads towards the doors. "What do you kids think you're doing in here?!"

The boys scowled as they looked at Young Zoe. "This isn't over, Sparks."

Then they let her go and ran out of the garage, past the man. Young Zoe sighed in relief as the man approached her and the man looked at her, shaking his head.

"Zoe," the man said.

She smiled, sheepishly. "Hey, Dad."

Later, Young Zoe and her father walked through the front door of their house.

"It wasn't my fault, Dad," she told him as they entered the living room. "Those boys were jerks. They were bullying someone and they stole from him. I had to do something."

Just then, Zoe's mother walked in and greeted them.

"You're home," she greeted her husband with a kiss.

"Hi, honey," Zoe's father smiled.

Zoe's mother looked between her husband and her daughter, curious. "What's going on?"

"Zoe got into another fight," Zoe's father told her.

"Sweetheart, we've talked about this," Zoe's mother sat down on the coffee table. "You can't pick a fight every time you see someone in trouble."

"I was just trying to help," Young Zoe said.

"I know. You have such a good heart, Zoe," she replied as she patted her daughter's hair.

"And that's the true key to helping people, not fighting," Zoe's father added.

Young Zoe looked at her parents, considering their words.