Outcasts Snowbarry

Chapter 2

Barry
I rubbed my eyes about ready to phase my hand
through everyone's chest if it wasn't completely
illegal for me to do so. Some days I'm kind of
done with this place. Very few people actually
make eye contact with me, but it brings home the
rent,Iguess. Maybe Clark Kent can do it at The
Daily Planet-fuck him very much-but here, at
Picture News, folks either come here to flourish or
get left behind with their tail wagging between
their legs. Of course l didn't "picture" myself
choosing this profession; I only did it to cover up
who I really am. A bit of a cover up of a cover up if
you wil..
Hating this word every day but I'm sort ofa
Batman-type minus the moral code. I have a limit
but I don't like to use it. Usually my methods tend
to work more often than not if I use them to my
full advantage. In this world, in Central City, how
else do you get the truth out of someone who
defied giving it? Resting my case here. As long as
people don't suspect me l'm good. I kind of have
to live this way. I vibrate my face and voice to help
me mask my alter ego as much as I can;I have the
Meta-Human Act to thank for that. Wankers at
best, they really fucked it up for all of us metas.I
can't help but think it's pure jealously on their
part.
Do I think society is so gung ho about metas that
I'l be welcomed with open arms the second I
reveal myself to the city? Not in this world, maybe reveal myself to the city? Not in this world, maybe
in anothe, even then I think people will still find
it hard to accept that which is different. In fact,
metas are feared more than they are accepted in
co-existence. The public decides, rather chooses
to dread rather then look through our eyes and
understand there are people in this world that
may not be like everyone else. It would be the
same in comparison to a brunette to a blonde,
though more extreme. Most of us are harmless, in
all honestly it's better when people look at me in
dismay rather than try to relate to me; they never
will.
As far as my code name goes, I mean, they just get
shittier as they go around the water cooler.
Picture News had this awful idea to call me "the
streak" what the fuck? I do more than that for the
city. I was assigned an editorial on a one piece
about the masked speedster-yep hated that
name too-and I finally had the cool task to coin
my own meta human name. I am The Flash. I
know right? It probably sounded like something
out of a comic book from the '40s but I was so
determined to represent whatI do in a positive
light, even though my methods and antics aren't
always rainbows and sprinkles. I get the job done,
that's the point.
It's not like I could call my mom or dad and brag
about my vigilante persona like I was just
awarded something of high caliber. In a way
was, but this city will never hold my meta abilities
to where they should be. Just recently I was
promoted to Editor-in-Chief for our main news
section of Picture News. As soon as I got the news
lalmost called my mom, but then I realized |
don't have a mom, I don't have a dad. Those were
taken away from me before I could really
comprehend what I lost. The sad part of this
whole thing is that lI'll never find out who
murdered them. I've been digging and digging for
years and still nothing. Either no one's talking or
'm imagining things.
Because of the Meta Human Act I can't use my
abilities in a way I want to. Apparently it's this
rule where if you use it, you are deemed unfit in
society to exist. That's interesting considering I'm
a capable tax paying adult with a formidable and
rather lucrative job that only recently ousted one
of the most famous ponzy schemes of the entire
city. My article made people think. It's amazing,
society seems to think just because of the wayI
was born and what l can do that I don't deserve
the same rights as everyone else.
I wear the cowl for my safety. I've had a couple
run-ins on occasion with people face to face; that
is where the vibrating and voice modulation
comes in handy. If it weren't for that I might as
well go into complete seclusion and ignore what
made me who I am. Not a chance. Some fucked
up rule isn't going to stop my intentions one iota.
The government is doing this to scare every meta
human, even dare them to show them powers
more in public. In all honesty I fear for people
who can't hide their true form. I've been in lucky
category in that I could blend in. Human metas
have it easier, do it in secret. Don't get caught.
Penalty is..well, they-the powers that be-have
alluded the punishment for revealing your true
self would be torture of some sort. Government
experiments. Using abilities for personal gain
instead of humane reasons.Truth be told, l'm not a saint here. I have the
personal restraint to control myself whenl
interrogate someone for information but it
doesn't get me the answers I want. People listen
and talk when they're afraid; 1 just do my part to
open up Pandora's box and in flows exactly what |
need. The only caseI haven't been able to solve is my parents but I feel like as I mentioned, it has
something to with someone extremely high up in
power. Bigger than Jimmy Hoffa, more than
Sinatra and his right hand arm man Jilly could
handle. This is possibly a huge labyrinth that I
have yet to crack and know l'm looking in the
wrong places. I ought to up my stakes if I really
wanted to solve this case. As a Journalist, there is
only so much you can tell, even though we are
after the truth, it comes at a cost. No one wants
the truth out, especially if it's ugly and could have
them rotting in prison. It's my job to dig it out of
them, by any means.
You wouldn't know I do this kind of dirty work
based on my appearance alone. If I geek it up
people don't suspect anything. Ifl overly geek
then people get annoyed. At work I try to be the
MVP but do my best to blend with the crowd. That
farm boy Kent has more experience in public
deception, I don't look at it that way, the less
people who know, the better I can do my job.
Even if my parents were still alive I wouldn't tell
him. Not just to protect them, but you never know
who could threaten them with information.
There's so many people I don't know out there.
Meta humans, like me, searching for meaning. A
home. A place to stay. Food to eat. A family.
Acknowledgement. List goes on...
At the moment all I can do is try not to appear like
Ilead a double life, so far so good. I haven't run
into anyone that may expose me, I've donea
pretty sound job in protecting my identity.
Society isn't ready for me, nor dol care aboutt
making life a cozy, warm existence for them. I
know the battles ahead and I focus on those,
trying to make everyone happy is pointless. I dare
you reading this right now to try that even for a
second. You'd have better luck being struck by
lightning and living then completely self-sacrifice
for others.
What's the point of being a hero anyway if they're
just going to look at you in disgust?
I'm always the last one to leave this place, go
figure. I should probably patrol if l have nothing
better to do with my time. I'm sure the night owls
of Central City would love that. Never mind
though, I was on a quest for answers. My compass
was pointing to a well known mob front that
practically bought off the mayor in the last
election. Maybe I should pay them a little visit,
play with them for a bit until I get what I came for.
IfI do this now, I won't have to worry about
putting it off again out of constrain. Yes, even I,
Barry Allen, The Flash, has a limit...sometimes.