September 12th, 2010

"Hey Mom? Do you think I could get a ride out to the trail?" I asked the petite lady holding a camera as big as her head. Her wire frames hung from the top of her fairy like nose as she tried to blow a curly strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. With a huff she let her camera hang from its strap and turned to face me, tucking her hair behind her ear in the process.

"I'm sorry honey I have to get this album up by noon and I barely started and-l"

"Oh, it's ok, I can take the bus, just thought I would ask first" I leaned over and pecked her on the cheek and turned to leave her studio.

"Don't forget your pepper spray." Mom said her words muffled by the camera on her cheek.

"I won't" I said and headed out of the small house to the bus stop down the street. It was not until I was on the bus that I realized my fatal flaw. I had forgotten my book. The only thing capable of entertaining me for the forty-minute bus ride to my favorite hiking destination. Of course I did, typical. I was left staring out the window as suburbia faded away into the agricultural surroundings of my dear old town.

Although Oak Haven was small, it was definitely preferable to other more famous Californian cities like National City or LA. We didn't have the issues of Hollywood or blood thirsty aliens so it works out. Yet, sometimes I do crave a little more excitement. What would it be like to be a hero? Luckily for my safety, that thought is quickly crushed when I remember one key aspect of hero-ing... danger. Yep, nope. I'm alright. I am good. I am content living my safe and boring life as is, thank you. My internal ramblings held my attention all the way off the bus, to the trail, and half way through it before I snapped out of thoughts.

The fresh morning air bit at my ears. They felt cold and a bit raw, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I scanned my surroundings. Blue sky adorned with fluffy white clouds, green grass, tall oak trees: it couldn't have been a better day for a hike. I trudged up the path a bit further. It was uphill, my worst enemy. I groaned and pushed upwards. As much as I love hiking, the actual hiking part is a pain. I reached the top of the hill and sighed, exhausted but astounded. I looked out across the valley seeing fields of green grass billowing in the wind all the way until the horizon. I couldn't help the smile that slowly spread across my face. That's why I do it, for this view.

I reached for my phone to capture this moment-I froze. Oh how I hated that feeling, when you just know something bad has or is about to happen. At this point I should've expected it, but I still jumped when I heard a blood curdling shriek from a ways behind me. My head whipped around and my eyes searched up the hill behind me. I couldn't see where it was coming from.

I swore audibly and whipped out my phone. I swore again when I saw "no service" at the top of my screen. A panicked dialogue coursed quickly through my brain:

What do I do?

Well I have to help them. They could be hurt.

But you don't even know where they are, stupid.

The have to at least go and look.

How could you live with yourself knowing you let someone die when you could have done something?

Aftera couple seconds, turning around completely and taking a deep breath I trudged off the path and into the brush. I used the trees as anchors and pulled myself up the steep hill. The twigs and brush crunched very loudly under my feet as I moved as quick as I could. I used one hand to grab the trees and pull myself up. In my other hand, I gripped my pepper spray tightly ready to spray any attackers. I reached the top of the hill, panting mind you, and looked around. My vision was still obstructed by the heavy woods that surrounded me, and I was about to turn back when I heard whimpering. I looked down the side of the hill and at the bottom among the bushes was unmistakably a person, but what was much more alarming was the slowly growing pool of blood around them.

The adrenaline kicked in and I rushed - practically tumbled - down the hill. When I got there, my breath hitched in my throat. It was a girl, probably no older than twenty, pale in the face gasping for air, tightly gripping a huge branch that was sticking straight out of her abdomen.

"Oh my god" I mumbled. She finally noticed me.

"Help. Please. You've gotta help me! I'm gonna die, oh my god I'm gonna die" she was closed to hyperventilation at this point and I knew that if I didn't do something soon, she would be dead.

"It's going to be ok" I tried to soothe her. I looked into her bloodshot eyes and smiled gently. However, internally I was panicking. "Just try and breathe slowly for me, okay? I am going to help you."

I could help her. I knew it. She would be okay in a minute and would walk away from this. Why was I even questioning doing it. I took another shaky breath. It had been so long ago. I knew I had to do it, I couldn't just let this girl die.

"Alright, I am going to take out the branch now" I said slowly and quietly. She didn't respond. I could tell she was close to passing out. Her eyes were rolling back into her head. I had to do it now before she lost any more blood.

"I guess it's now or never" I muttered and dropped to my knees ignoring the warm blood seeping into my jeans. I moved her now limp hands to her sides and gripped the branch, my fingers barely making it all the way around and in one swift motion pulled it out. Blood, just so much blood. I was still having second thoughts. She was passed out. She wouldn't even see anything, but I hadn't done this since second grade and the memory told me not to.

Never the less, I reached my shaking hands out and laid them on the gaping hole left by the branch. I closed my eyes and braced myself. A soft warmth swelled in my heart and I felt it radiating off of me in waves. It spread through my veins like hot chocolate, warm and comforting. I opened my eyes and saw the familiar purple glow making its way to my hands and then

Pain. So much pain.

Mind numbing pain. I screamed through gritted teeth. My hands felt like they were on fire, but I held them there anyways. I opened my eyes to watch as her wound healed from the inside, pink flesh filled the hole and then white scar tissue. Among the light, agony spread throughout my entire body. I felt hot tears on my cheeks. The world started to fade out, the pain lessened, and soon after everything went black.

I woke up exactly where I passed out. Everything was the same. It was frankly a little frightening. Wait no, I take that back. Upon further inspection, the girl who I had just ripped a branch out of was missing. Her branch still lay beside me, her blood still adorned my hands and clothes, but she herself was gone without so much as a thank you. I mean, I didn't expect a thank you for what i had done, but I didn't expect to be left alone covered in blood on the forest floor either.

I sat up, my first mistake. Blood came rushing to my head along with a big enough headache to elicit a groan. I slowly and carefully got to my feet. I was pretty shaky after my whole ordeal, but I managed to climb back up the hill. I stumbled along the deserted path to a small stream. I was really lucky when I pulled out my phone, not only was it okay, but I even had service. I immediately dialed my mom.

"I need you to come get me" I croaked out.

"Oh my goodness, Amethyst, thank goodness you are alright your father and I were about to call the cops" My mother gasped on the other line sounding very relieved. I looked up to see the sun setting in the sky. How long had I been out?

"Well not really"

"What?"

"Just please come and get me"

"You don't just get to say things like that without an explanation Amy" My mother reprimanded. I was not in the mood for a lecture at the moment, but it was better to tell her now then to just show up in blood stained clothes when she came to get me.

"It happened" I whispered

"What? What happened" my mother said sounding annoyed obviously not understanding what I meant.

"Mom, it happened again. I'm covered in blood and I need you to come get me."

"What! Are you okay? Oh my god. Jeremy! Did anyone see you? Where is the person you—"

"They're gone, they were passed out when it happened, I passed out." I stopped worried I would start crying, and took a deep breath. "I'll tell you once you get here okay?"

"It's going to be okay honey. Just breathe. We will be there as soon as we can"

I let me knees fall to the ground. My tears dripped making ripples in the stream. I stuck my hands in the cold water and rubbed them together vigorously. I felt like the stains of that girl's blood, of the pain, just wouldn't leave. I scrubbed and scrubbed until my hands were red and raw. I just sat there in the mud letting my tears fall.

Why? Why did it hurt so bad? I shuddered at the memory of the pain. Why was I born this way? Why was I so weak?

I was ripped from my thoughts when a warm hand was placed on my shoulder. I whipped around frightened, but was relieved when I saw my father's young yet tired face. Behind him stood my mother; she was trying really hard to hide it but she was freaking out, I could tell. My dad wrapped me up in a blanket and they took me to the car. I remember driving home and them asking me questions and me answering them, but the whole time I felt as though I wasn't in my body just watching from the inside.

We got home and I immediately went upstairs to take a shower. The hot water felt blissful against my cold skin, and with a new set of clothes I was starting to feel like myself again. I started my descent down the stairs, but stopped mid-way when I heard.

"I know what she said Meghan, but this girl. She knew that she was hurt, and she saw Amy's face that is enough to raise questions. She woke up, left her there, could've taken her picture for all we know."

"Where would we go Jeremy? Anyway her friends are here, her life is here we can't just uproot it because of a possibility."

"Whatever it is we can't stay here, it's too dangerous." I finished my way down the stairs. I was met with surprised looks.

"So I guess I'm not going to school tomorrow." I remarked sadly. We had moved around a lot growing up, all because of me. Some kid would fall down on the swings and I would go run to help. Little did I know that I would turn into the town freak and get letters black mailing me to cure some grandmother's cancer or something. My parents moved me every time, until I learned my lesson. I hadn't used it in years. I had gotten through my junior year of high school. I felt normal. Well, not anymore.

"So where are we going this time Las Vegas, New York maybe?" I joked. They looked relieved I had been known to take change pretty badly, but then again this was my fault. I would rather leave before all my friends turned against me, that always sucked.

"We are going to the smartest man we know" My father said smiling, for once. My mother and I looked at him confused, but he gave her a knowing look and she nodded in understanding.

"The only other person who knows about your... abilities" My mother said. Now I was really confused. I thought no one knew about my powers not even my grandma.

"Wait, what? You said—"

"I know what we said honey, but you see" My father started looking to my mother for some help. They led me down to the couch in the living room and sat on either side of me.

"You see, when your father and I had you we were young, and we didn't really have much support. We were both finishing up our masters and Sun City University, and had yet to tell our families we were even together let alone pregnant." My mother began.

"Now, you know why we named you Amethyst. Right?" My father asked.

"Ya, after the healing crystal" I said, but he waited obviously not satisfied with my answer. "because the first time mom held me I healed every person in the hospital. I glowed purple, like an Amethyst" I repeated quickly just like I had heard many times before.

"Exactly, but what we left out was that there was someone there that day, that moment when all the doctors had left and I held you." Mom remembered whistfully.

"Our best friend Barry Allen was there with us the day of your birth and he was in the room when it happened. He knows about you Amethyst. We can trust him." My dad gripped my arm tightly pleading me to trust his words.

"So you're telling me that I have some long lost family friend who is really smart and knows I can heal people. Okay, now where is the fun part." I waited.

"That's just it honey, we are going to go and see Barry. He is a scientist like your father he can help us - help you" My mom urged.

"Al-right." I said slowly. I was still skeptical, but my parents were not very trusting people and if they trusted this Barry guy he must be worth it. "So where does this Barry Allen live?" I asked finally a little interested.

"Central City" My dad gestured in a rainbow fashion. I was not impressed.

"We are moving to Missouri?!" I shouted, internally groaning.

This was going to be interesting.