2021 WHUMPTOBER

11. Drowning - Flash

Pre lightning

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It was raining. 

It was raining very hard. 

It was raining so hard that no one in their right mind would out in said rain.

But when one doesn't have a car and is late to work, that one not only is running in the downpour, but is doing so without an umbrella. 

That one person was none other than Barry Allen. 

Barry coughed as he ran precariously through the storm. He was clumsy enough without slippery terrain. But nonetheless, he was late. At this point though, it was a wonder he didn't just call a cab.

Barry paused briefly at the busy bridge he would need to cross. 

Again, bad enough on a regular day. Why didn't he call a cab?

Barry started hustling across the narrow walkway, cars rushing by, water raging below. 

His feet slipped a few times but by some miracle or divine intervention he didn't slip off the bridge. Yeah there was a bar, but it was low enough that  there he had been instances of people falling over accidentally. 

But Barry was doing relatively fine.

Right up to the moment someone running from the other direction crashed into him. Already balanced precariously, he lost his footing and was sent tumbling over the "protective" rail. 

His head made contact with the side of the bridge as he started somersaulting through the air. It didn't knock him unconscious, but it dazed him and he fell unceremoniously to the water. 

Hitting the water felt more like hitting concrete. 

It was freezing. 

It was rushing fast. 

And Barry didn't stand a chance. 

***** LINE BREAK *****

Singh frowned hard at the downpour outside. 

He was painfully aware of the fact that a particular forensic assistant was not there yet. 

Of course it was normal for Barry to be late, but Singh was also aware of the boy's natural clumsiness. 

And the fact that he was over and hour and a half late. 

So he was a little worried. 

Singh let out a great, heaving sigh and threw on his raincoat. He grabbed two umbrellas because he had a hunch that Barry was out, probably running, without an umbrella. 

It was a little sad and concerning, Singh mused, that he knew the route Barry would take in a rush to get to work so well. But it did prove useful in times like these though. 

Singh was walking the familiar trail, scanning for the tardy man. At one point,  just as he reached the busy bridge that Barry would have to cross to get to work, a jogger who was apparently crazy passed by Singh.  

"Why don't you take a cab, Allen?" Singh muttered, peering through the heavy rain. 

He caught sight of Barry running precariously across the bridge, swaying and slipping in wind. He was also correct in his assumption that Barry did not have an umbrella. Singh stood at the end of the bridge with folded arms waiting for Barry to finish the crossing.

That's when it happened.

The jogger ran past Barry, throwing him off his balance so much so that he was sent sprawling over the side rail. 

Time seemed to stop for Singh as Barry's cry of alarm was cut short. 

It took only a moment,  but Singh and the jogger were now peering over the edge where Barry just disappeared. 

"Barry!" Singh called, panic growing in his chest. He pushed it down and turned to the jogger. "Call 911 now!" he shouted over the wind. Then he took off to the path down to the river.

Singh ran to the water and looked frantically for his young forensic assistant. 

He knew it was a bad idea. 

But his heart overtook his brain and Singh waded into the water searching for Barry. 

"Come on come on come on," He said, ignoring the biting cold of the water, "Where are you Barry?" 

Wading out further and making sure he had good footing, Singh dunked his head under the water, yanking his eyes open. Just in time to see a dark figure rush down river. Thanking his luck, Singh resurfaced and reached out for Barry. His fingertips brushed him and he lunged forward farther, gripping what he could, regardless of the fact that he was being pulled downriver with Barry.

Singh's foot caught a rock, twisting it and yanking him and Barry to a stop. 

With much effort, Singh hoisted an unconscious Barry above the water. 

As quickly as he could, Singh dragged them back to shore. He could hear sirens getting closer, but he drowned them out and started compression.

The rain was not helping. 

But he got Barry to breathe again. 

Resting his head on Barry's, relief flooded Singh. 

It was brief though, since Barry was still unconscious and he now took note of Barry's twisted legs and numerous bleeding areas. 

"Damn it Barry. Only you."

***** LINE BREAK *****

"How do you do it?" Singh asked as Barry set another file on his desk about a month later.

"Do what?" Barry asked.

"Get into terrible situations that are usually easily avoidable?"

A slow smile spread across Barry's face. He shrugged his shoulders.

Singh stared hard at him, "you could've taken a cab you know that right?"

Barry couldn't hold back his retort, "then the whole cab probably would've gone into the water."

A light laugh came from Singh, "knowing you? You're probably right."

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A/N- here's to me noticing that I did them out of order. Whoops.

Love y'all! :)