End Of The Line // Ralph Dibny

Chapter 36 - You Won't Believe This False Hope

My eyes faded in and out of reality while my numb body sat lifelessly on a chair in the cortex.

This... This wasn't possible.

They had found me minutes later crouched over her curtained life in that dastardly place. For being the fastest man alive Barry sure had the worse timing, he told me he came as soon as he could, though I doubt he knew what he had been about to find.

"I... I-" I tried to make words but instead, stammering fell from my lips.

A hand rested on my back, though I couldn't bare to glance up to who it was. "Willow..." he breathed, "I can't imagine the pain you must be in but we need your help."

I stuttered as I took in a breath, "o-ok."

"Who..." he paused not finding the words, "did this?"

My eyes grew wide and broke from their lifeless stare as the events of today flashed through my mind. My lips parted but I couldn't release the name, even the thought of it made me seize up.

With no response Barry spoke again, "I ask because... we have a guy in the pipeline Ralph caught fleeing the scene who looked like he got ruffed up..." he continued to speak but my ears stopped listening and my blood ran cold.

My body took action before I could even tell it to. I speedily sat up and strode to the exit not willing to stop or hold for nobody. "Hold up, Willow where you going?" he called after me. Through pure rage, my pace sped up and I broke into a run as I fled down the winding halls of the felicity and towards the pipeline.

They knew where I was going... I was off to get my revenge. That monster took everything away from me, he had to pay.

As I rounded the corner a hand sharply pulled my arm back and I scowled, "Let. me. go."

"I can't let you hurt him," I knew that voice, I twisted my head around and came eye to eye with Dibny. I struggled against his hold and tried desperately to trudge forward.

When I didn't prevail I let my teared up eyes lock with his. "Dibny!" I yelled.

"I-I... I can't," he stuttered before making his final decision, "you have to understand-"

The pure anger boiled up inside of me and in a burst, I kicked against him and for a split-second, his hold on me wavered. Taking advantage of it I desperately pushed forward and made it to the entrance of the room. My wild eyes landed on the cell on the other side.

I stopped fighting and let my arms fall numb. No, "No, no, no, no, no," I stammered, staring at the stranger in the cell, "No!"

I fell down to my knees and began to cry. That wasn't the devil that did this to me, it was just some poor man from the streets. A confused Dibny bent down to comfort me but I shook him off.

Wiping my eyes I said, "You got the wrong guy!"

That's it. He was gone forever.

Ralph looked up at the man behind bars, "... what?" he paused, "I swear-"

I closed my eyes tightly and I took in a stuttery deep breath.

"You got the wrong guy," I shakily repeated with tears staining my cheeks.

"Willow I'm- I'm so sorry-" Ralph tried to explain but I shut him out.

I buried my head in the crook of my knees and rocked slowly back and forwards. I couldn't deal with this. All this false hope that I would find him- that I could make sure he knew he made a huge mistake.

Iris came up behind me, "Willow... can I give you a ride home?" she asked and after a minute I solemnly nodded.

...