End Of The Line // Ralph Dibny

Chapter 1 - That Night

The bright light of the city reflected off the taxi driving me into town, while looking down the street so many memories came back to me of my old life here. At that park I had my first kiss, at that mall I got my first job, over there was my old best friends house. But all the good memories seemed to stop when we pasted a certain building, what I liked called the building of pain and suffering, S.T.A.R Labs. Because of a certain particle accelerator explosion, my whole perfect life was thrown out of wack. My father went missing that night, everyone assumes he's dead, I'm even starting to believe he's dead too, It's been 4 years.

I left the city after that night, I left everything behind, I still can't bear to be here. The thing I regret the most was leaving Iris behind, she was my #1 friend, I let the 'death' of my father seperate us, while I'm in town I'll make sure to say hi, hopefully she'll still want to see me after all these years.

Today was the first day I was returning to the city in years, my mothers birthday as the occasion. A few months ago she moved in with her boyfriend in downtown Central City, just a few blocks from CC jitters. Today lucky he was out of town so it would just be me and my mom for the night.

I pulled up to the apartment building, it looked older, it was made of marble and had big glass windows with black frames, the building was about 10 story's high, overall it looked nice.

I came to my mothers, apartment door and gave it a knock. She opened the door with a warm smile stretching across her slightly wrinkled face.

She embraced me with a hug. "Hello Willow," she said opening the door so I could come in.

I was surprised by how modern it was, wooden walls and grey accents, white furniture. It was definitely better than my house.

Her chocolate eyes sparkled and her pink lips curled, I hadn't seen her in forever, I was already recognizing our similarities, we both had curly dark brown hair and rich brown eyes, though all the rest of me took after my father.

A loud boom terrorized our ears and the building shook. My mother, Annabelle, took my hand tried to bring me under the table.

"Earthquake!" she exclaimed and repeated several times over. But what shocked me the most was how the room lit up. Lightning? But it wasn't normal lightning, it kept striking down not stopping, I ran to the window to look at the city below. The bolts were multi-colored, red, yellow, orange and blue lightning bolts were rapidly hitting the outside of the building and the streets where terrified citizens ran for cover. My mother grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the window. Just as I reached the table, the window I was at shattered making me scream when a sudden burst of pain shoot through me.

If it wasn't for Ann pulling me back I would have probably died from the spraying shards. A burning pain cried from my leg and I looked down to see a piece of glass wedged in it. That piece could have been wedged in my heart.

My mother and I huddled together under the kitchen table, multicoloured lights flashed around the room. The apartment building was shaking, glass plates shattering on the floor, paintings falling off their hinges and ornaments all crashing onto the hardwood floor.

She squeezed my hand and whimpered when the lightning struck once more making our room shake.

"Mom," I gasped through my sobs.
"I love you" I whimpered thinking we were going to die, if this was the end of the line, I wanted her to know that I loved her with all my heart.

"Oh no no no," she said cupping her hand on my cheek "sweetheart we ain't going to die, not today or tomorrow. Not anytime soon" she reassured.

"Mom" I whispered.

"Y-" A terrible crack sounded throughout the room cutting her off and I leaned into to her embrace tears flowing from my eyes soaking her shirt. She had her arms around me whispering encouraging thoughts though they went in one ear and out the other, I was terrified. There were so many things I wanted to do in my life. I haven't seen the world yet, haven't found the love of my life, no family of my own, I won't get to grow old and watch as my children do the same, I-

Then it stopped.

There was cracking of lightning, the room wasn't shaking, the only sound was distant the EMS's rushing to the scene. I looked at her and she did the same, how did it 'magically' just stop?

I had no words for my head was already buried in her chest, tonight wasn't going to be my last night but a beginning, for I will accomplish everything I have not already, so when the day does come I'll have no regrets.

"See," she said while her fingers stroked my hair "we are gonna be just fine"

"Pain," I gasped through tears because of the searing cry in my leg.

"My leg!" I croaked and she looked down at the bloodied mess and lunged for her phone.

"Honey, stay calm, I'm calling the EMS" She comforted

I'd never had a serious injury in my life, I was freaking out. What if I could never walk again? How long would I have the cast? WILL I FLIPPIN BLEED OUT?!!?

"Yes, hello, I live at-" she was cut off.

"yes, I know there was just a huge disaster but-"

"I bet there are people more injured than her but it's your job to take care of emergencies, she might bleed out"

"What?" I asked concerned.

she put her hand over the phone, "Uh, Willow go to the other room right now"

I flew my hands in the air "How in the world do you expect me to do that?!"

"Oh, right. I'll go to the other room" She corrected and walked away. Then peeped her head back in "You have absolutely nothing to worry about" She tried to calm me through the way she said it wasn't very believable.

Sometime later the EMS came and brought me to the hospital, I didn't remember much from then, either I passed out or they had me on some pretty powerful medications.

When I woke up I saw my mom to the side sleeping in the chair. there was an IV in my arm, just looking at it made me wheeze. The room was white and had medical equipment all around. My leg was bandaged up and for some reason, it didn't hurt. There was a TV in front of my bed, I searched for the remote, it was sitting on the table to the side of me, in-between me and my mother. I reached for it, I didn't get very far, I reached again.

"Come on" I grumbled and tried to use the force, extending my fingers and closing my eyes. Turns out, I don't have the force...

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