Lightning Strikes Twice ›› Barry Allen [1]

3- Carrying The Weight of The World

As a hero, you are an idol. You're a sign of hope, sometimes a savoir to most people. But others don't see you as a hero, they can see you as a monster. A giant that tramples all life, and has the powers of a god. Those that see you as a threat, don't usually forgive you, or change their mind about you.  Human beings are like that. People are afraid of what they don't understand... And as a superhero, you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders.

I gaze out the window of my apartment. The last of the rain drips down the pane, but the clouds still remain. My golden retriever puppy, Oliver, named after Oliver Queen, sits at my feet. I take a picture of him, and send it to the real Oliver. I text: 'Hey green bean, here's your doppelganger'. Oliver texts back: 'haha very funny'. Which I'm guessing he's being sarcastic. Oliver then sends another text message reading: 'and don't call me green bean.' I let out a laugh, but then my laughter dies away as I get a notification. An emergency alert (also known as the panic/distress alert) coming from Iris.

"Please don't tell me its because a giant boat's gonna drop on her." A reference from Magenta, you had to be there. I put on my mask. "Okay Ollie," I tell my dog. "I'm be right back, don't set the building on fire." The little dog yaps in reply. I smile and teleport.

______________________________________________________________________

I'm instantly at STAR Labs. "Do we know where Iris is?" I ask everyone. They stare at me.

"What do you mean?" Joe asks.

"She sent me an emergency alert."

"We didn't get an alert," Caitlin responded, a worried look creeps into her expression.

A bolt of light shoots by me. Barry's off and running, and he didn't even say 'hi' to me.

In a minute he's back. "Iris wanted to see Sky. Nothing bad happened," Barry reports.

"That's a relief," Joe said.

Jesse enters the room. "Has anyone seen Wally? He said he was going to text me about..." She looks around at us.  "...Definitely not speedster powers."

"Speaking of texting..." I said, glancing at Barry. At first he gave me a confused look, and then his eyes widen in realization.

"Oh God, I totally forgot to text you," he said.

"What is it with everyone texting each other?" Cisco questioned, sipping a bottle of Pepsi.

"Exactly," Dr. Wells summed up. "We all see each other everyday." Him and Cisco fist pump.

"Ooookay. This is getting a little too weird, even for me," I admitted.

Jesse shrugs. "A lot has happened."

"It seems like everyone's been saying that," Wally exclaims, walking up to her.

"Where have you been?" Joe asks him. "We've been wondering where you were."

"Studying," Wally answered.

"Well," I said, "I better go and see what Iris wants. Which I find really odd that she wants to see me."

Barry looks at me, "Why's that?"

"Never mind," I mumble.

I teleport again.

______________________________________________________________________

Iris is standing on a bridge looking down at the water, when I find her. "Hey," I said, joining her by the railing.