Demi-Speedster

Not Fast Enough

It was dark. It was pitch black like a void with nothing for miles. The last thing Barry remembered was it being night time but it wasn't this dark. Barry couldn't see a thing. That's when he heard it, a voice. The voice was male, it was familiar.

Barry mind: Percy?

That's right the voice belonged to Percy. Percy was the one talking, he was calling Barry's name. But why was he? Why would he be calling Barry's name and where was he anyway. Those were the thoughts going through Barry's head. That is until a bright light began to shin on him before fully engulfing his entire body.
Slowly Barry began to open his eyes. It took awhile and all he could see at first was a blurred figure. Eventually though his senses came back to him and he could finally make out the person. It was Percy trying to shack him awake.

Percy: come on Barry wake up. We can't stay here all night you know.

Barry was finally fully awake and the first thing he did was take in his surroundings. Barry was sitting on a bench near the Empire State Building. Apparently he had fallen asleep. But that didn't seem right to him, Barry could have sworn something else happened. That's when the memories started coming back to him. Barry began to remember his fight with the man in yellow.

Barry mind: but I thought he nocked me out at the construction site. How did I get back here then?

That's when Barry started to go over the events in his head. Trying to figure out if his fight with the yellow speedster actually happened. Or did he just dream it all up.

Barry: was it really just a........

Before he could finish what he was going to say  Barry received a sharp stinging pain on his chin. When he talk the same spot on his chin where he got punched hurt. This was the proof that Barry needed.

Barry: (whisper) it did happen.

Percy: what happened?

Barry had completely forgotten that Percy was standing there.

Barry: nothing don't worry about it.

Percy: right, nothing, and is this nothing the one that gave you the bruise on your face?

Out of instinct Barry reached up and touched the bruise. He really didn't know why he did it, he knew it was there. All he ended up doing when he touched it was make it hurt more.

Percy: well?

Barry: the nothing might have been the cause.

Percy: would you just tell what this nothing is?

Barry: this nothing is a who not a what.

Percy: then who is this nothing that was able to hurt you when Ares the god of war couldn't?

Barry: it was the man who killed my mother.

Percy: what?

Barry: it's a long story.

Percy: we got plenty of time. It's not like we have anywhere that we really need to be.

Barry just looked up at Percy who was still standing over him before letting out a sigh. He really didn't want to tell anyone this story. Even to this day it hurts to think about. But since it seems like Percy isn't going to let it go he decided to tell him. Besides Percy has become a pretty good friend, definitely the first one Barry has had in awhile.
So Barry began to tell Percy about what happened. He told Percy about how he only ever had his mom and never knew his dad. This was something that Percy easily related too. He then talked about how he came home from school one day and found his mother dead. He then talked about how he was then attacked by a man in yellow who could move like him. For some reason though the man in yellow didn't kill him like he did his mom. To this day Barry still doesn't know why he was spared by the man in yellow.

Percy: that sounds rough man.

Barry: it was definitely hard to take in at the time. Sometimes it still is.

Percy: what happened after that?

Barry: the man in yellow left and I went to stay with my uncle.

Percy: you said the man in yellow had the same powers as you but you didn't get your power from your parent. You got it from an accident. So how does he have them to.

Barry: who knows, maybe he was in a similar accident.

Percy: what was that accident anyways?

Barry: my uncle was a Forensics Scientist for the Police. Well a few months ago there was this bad lightning storm. I was visiting my uncle at his lab at the time of this lightning storm. Long story short me and a rack of chemicals was struck by a bolt of lightning and now I have super-speed.

Percy: dude that's crazy.

Barry: I know right.

Percy: so does your uncle work for the St.Louis police still?

Barry: still? He never did. My uncle worked for the Kansas City police.

Percy: then why were you in St.Louis when we met?

Barry: to see the arch. I've been running around America seeing all the sites and I was just pacing though and decided to see the arch too.

Percy: don't you think your uncle might be a little worried about you running around America by yourself? I mean I know you can take care of yourself but still.

Barry's shoulders sagged as he looked down at the ground.

Barry: my uncle died a few weeks after I got my powers.

Percy: oh, I'm sorry for bringing it up.

Barry: it's ok you didn't know about it.

Percy: how did it......I mean was it........

Barry: it wasn't the man in yellow this time. Instead it was a common mugger who just wanted his wallet.

Percy: I'm sorry Barry.

Barry: do you know what the worst part about all of this was? What seems to be the biggest problem in my life?

Percy: what?

Barry: I was late. I was late getting home from school the day my mom was killed. I was late getting to the police station because I was testing my powers and my uncle died. I was always late. Even with my powers I'm still not fast enough.

Percy: none of that was your fault though.

Barry: maybe but I might have been able to help them if I just ran a little faster.