Present
"So what's your story? You don't seem like the other guys we have in here, "asked the man in the red suit. Standing in front of one of the cells of his makeshift prison.
"Wait, how many people do you hold here? "Asked the woman behind the glass.
"A few, "he answered.
She chuckled, "what? Is it classified?"
"Not sure, but I just didn't want to scare you, "he explained, while smiling.
"The only thing that scares me is myself," she stated simply.
"Why? „He asked curiously.
"That's a part of my story, still wanna hear it mister… Flash? "She replied.
"I'm listening."He stated, sitting on the ground, having a feeling this is going to take a while.
Past
A young woman with a suitcase waited in front of a house to say goodbye before. A few minutes later an older woman came outside and hugged her daughter.
"Be careful out there sweetheart, "she said.
"Mom, I'm just going to Central City for a few days, I'm not going to the jungle, "she felt badly for lying to her mother about the length of her stay in Central City, but she just couldn't tell her mother in the eyes she was moving out. After her father left them her mother became unhealthily fixated on her. But she was decided to leave, she needed to get a proper life.
"It doesn't matter, bad things happen everywhere Cathy. And I would be lost without you. Call me as soon as you arrive to the hotel, okay? "She said, still hugging her daughter.
"Sure, I love you mom, „she said goodbye, took her suitcase and quickly got into the car before her mother could think of something to stop her from leaving.
She turned on the radio to drown her thought. Why did she felt like a bad guy for leaving home? She was a grown woman and she was convicted her moving out would benefit both to her and her mother.
When the lunch time was nearing she stopped at the gas station to buy something to eat. Not being satisfied with the offered meals she decided to buy only a cup of coffee. She was already preparing to leave, when someone knocked on her window. It was a blonde, long haired woman approximately the same age as Catherine. She opened the door to see what the woman wanted, but before she could the woman asked, "Sorry to bother you, are you headed to Central City? ₺
"I am, "stuttered surprised Catherine.
"Good, would you mind if I join you? "She asked, but wasn't waiting for the answer and already seated herself.
"Of course, suit yourself, "muttered the driver, being annoyed with the woman. Luckily she didn't look like some psycho, nevertheless this was going to be a long journey.
"So why are you going to Central? You don't exactly look like a local, "the passenger noted, visibly scanning her outfit.
"No I'm not from Central City, but I'm moving there, "Catherine replied.
"You're moving?₺ laughed the woman," if I was moving this car would be stuffed.₺ Than she looked at Catherine and scanned her face, since it seemed somehow familiar.
"Holy cow! You're Cathy Campbell! "She shouted, startling Catherine and nearly causing a car crash in process. Catherine looked at the woman who clearly knew her, her face and manners seemed familiar, but she couldn't tell her name or at least the place she knew her from.
"You don't remember me, do you? I'm Rose Dickson, we went to school together!₺ she clarified, much to Catherine's dismay, now she knew exactly who this obnoxious person was, one of her former classmates, one she and her friends never really liked. They had simply different priorities, Catherine always wanted to actually get some knowledge at school, Rose and her gang were mostly interested in hunting basketball players.
"Yeah, I remember, "said Catherine with a fake smile.
"Cool, so what do you do these days? "She asked.
"I work for a pharmaceutical company, "Catherine replied.
"Pharmaceutical? "Asked Rose, clearly not getting the meaning of the word.
Catherine fought the urge to face palm, but she kept her composure, "we make drugs.₺
That clearly startled the passenger, "you make drugs? There are actual companies for that? ₺I meant medicinal drugs, painkillers and those things, "the driver clarified.
"If you're still into science, you couldn't have chosen better time to come to Central, it all over the papers, tomorrow they're launching the… partial accu…₺
"The particle accelerator, "Catherine interrupted her, "I know, it's one of the reasons I decided to go to Central City now. And what about you, what do you do these days? "
"I am a model, "she announced proudly, „and a waitress, "she said less loudly.
Catherine was glad they reached Central City without bigger delays and felt relieved when Rose asked if she could get out. Clearly it was quite visible even for Rose, when she came back only to say, "look Catty, I know things haven't been always perfect between the two of us. But now when almost everyone lives far away it's nice to see someone you went to school with.₺ she left her number on the seat and left, this time for real. This caused Catherine to rethink her attitude, maybe she was right, and the time when they didn't like each other was long past and just maybe her behavior was driven by prejudice.
Before actually leaving home Catherine looked up a few reasonably priced apartments for rent. She took her phone and called the owner of one apartment she liked in particular. She set a meeting and the owner was kind enough to tell her the way.
"Is there any chance I can move in immediately? "Asked Catherine who totally loved the flat. She couldn't believe the flat that big and in a good part of the city was actually quite cheap.
"I think it's okay if you move in today, let me just fetch the rental agreement, "said the flat owner and left.
For the first time in her life Catherine felt like real adult, finally freed from her mother's influence, of course she would call her later, but she swore to herself she wouldn't let her mother persuade her to come back home.
She used the time when the owner was gone to bring her belongings from the car to her new flat, then she signed the papers and finally had a home just for herself, she went through the whole flat once again, trying to memorize everything immediately, but naturally her memory wasn't that good.
For the past 20 minutes Catherine was standing by the window, holding her phone, flipping it, turning the screen on and off, not being sure whether she should call her mother. Of course she didn't have to because her mother called on her own.
"Hey mom, "Catherine said.
"Hi Cathy, have you already arrived to the hotel? "The woman on the other end of the line asked.
"No, I'm not in a hotel, "Catherine answered getting ready for what was coming.
"Why? Is there something wrong? "Asked her mother, with a worried voice.
Catherine took a deep breath and started explaining, "there's nothing wrong, I'm in my flat. The thing is mom, I'm not coming home, I've moved to Central City and nothing you say can change it.₺
"W...Why? "Asked her startled mother, probably still processing her announcement.
"Because every time I mentioned moving out before you started to blackmail me emotionally, stating that after dad left you, you needed me there and that I couldn't leave you same as he did. And the truth is, I felt bad every time. But you've been controlling my life, you've been ruining it, I couldn't do anything without you freaking out. You don't need me mom, you need a psychiatrist.₺
"You will take that back, young lady! And I guarantee you, you will come begging to my door! "Snapped her angry mother and ended the phone call.
Considered what their conversations about moving used to be, this went really well and Catherine could tick off another item on her imaginary to do list.
Present
And that was probably the last thing that went good in my life, "Catherine stated.
"You can't know that, you're not dead yet. So that was a day before the accelerator exploded? "The Flash asked.
"Yep, except the whole moving out thing, the accelerator was the other reason to go to Central City, "Catherine answered.
"Are you a scientist or just an enthusiast? "He asked.
"Cannot a scientist be an enthusiast? "She asked.