Zolomons' Tragedy

While I usually write about Barry Allen, a friend sent a request to write a Wally West story. Enjoy, CMR Rosa!

How is this happening? thought Ashley Zolomon.

Years ago, Ashley would have been jogging with her true love, Hunter Zolomon. She would have blushed a bright pink as he would treat her like a princess, even at headquarters. She would have heard him tell her that he loves her.

That was then, this is now.

Now she was caught in the middle of a fight to the death between two streaks of red and yellow. Hunter had never forgiven himself when he got her father killed and his legs paralyzed. Ashley never forgave him either. She left him. He had never been the same again. Hunter was angry at his friend, Wally West, whom he criticized for having a perfect life, free of pain, suffering, and tragedy.

That was when he snapped. The idea crept into his head that the reason Wally had not been able to help that day was because he had never felt tragedy. So he decided to "help." Breaking into the Flash museum, Hunter came across the cosmic treadmill, and tried to figure out how to work it. Instead, it blew up in his face; both figuratively and, unfortunately, literally. But once he wiped the blood from his face, he witnessed the most extraordinary thing: he was standing up. Not only that, he glanced around himself, and witnessed shattered glass from windows, burnt shards of metal, and his demolished wheelchair… in mid-air.

While not having actual super-speed, Hunter could now slow down time enough to appear being a super-speedster. His first act: hunt down Wally's wife, Linda, and kill their unborn children. Then he went to FBI headquarters. As Ashley was packing up for the day, she was whipped around by a yellow blur until she landed in a chair.

"Wh-who's there?"

"HelloAshleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey! Doyourembermeeeeee?"

Ashley's eyes had widened in fear. "Hunter?"

"No Ashley, Hunter Zolomon nolongerexistssssssssssssss. Nowandforver. I. Am. ZOOOOOOM!"

And then he disappeared, leaving Ashley in tears.

Now it was even worse.

Wally and Hunter were at each others' throats. Each of them delivering near-fatal blows to each others' jaws. Wally had received some bad bruises on his stomach and chest, but he managed to land some hard punches on Zolomon too.

"Why don't you give up, Zoom!?" asked Wally.

"Whydon'tyou,Flash!?"

"You tried to kill my kids, you think I'm gonna let you get away with that?"

"No. But if you insssssssist, Icanshowyouevenmore tragedy!"

Just as he said that, lightening streaked up Zolomons back. As he fell to the ground, he turned to see who tazed him before blacking out.

"Ashley?"

Before anything else could be done, a lightning bolt of Zolomon's energy back-lashed into Ashley, knocking her to the ground. The next morning, Ashley found herself in Keystone General. Wally and Linda had brought her here to mend her wounds.

After a grateful thank you, Ashley left for home. As she went to bed, her head began to pound and her eyes stung. Sparks blurred her vision until she could finally see again, yet she wasn't sure what she was looking at until her ears tuned in.

The hospital, after the attack, but before the accident.

"I'm so sorry, Ashley! I should have done something! I should have known he'd have a gun! I'm so sorry!"

"Sssh, its okay, Hunter. The important thing is that you're alive. Dad's in a better place now, but I still have you."

Just as suddenly as it happened, Ashley woke up. Did that really happen? Was she just at the hospital with Hunter? No. She couldn't have. Hunter was in prison. He was a criminal. He was a monster. Right?

The next day Ashley went to work, greeting everyone there, putting on her vest, and sipping her required espresso. Before she had a chance to sigh, the same, sleazy jerk she always dealt with snuck up behind her and whispered sickeningly in her ear.

"Hey pretty lady, how you doin'?"

"For the last time, Abraham," Ashley said with an annoyed smile, "I'm not interested. And by the way, I've seen Friends, you sound nothing like Matt LeBlanc."

Harvey Abraham. Cop son from a cop father. Brash, self-centered, and power hungry. He was worse than the people the F.B.I. went after. And he also just so happens to believe that the universe revolves around him. He's been constantly trying to gain high authority in the F.B.I. and make attempts at Ashley. Often while Hunter was right in front of them. Before the accident.

"Hey, I was just thinking you'd wanna be with a powerful man."

"Sure. If you find one let me know."

"I've had it with that." He said grabbing her arm.

"Let go of me!"

"I know what'll have you at my feet. Zoom's broken out again, and when I put a bullet in his head, you're gonna be beggin' to be with me."

"Don't hold your breath. You don't know him."

"He's a freak, that's all I need."

As he walked away, Ashley thought for a moment. What she said sounded as though she were defending Hunt-Zoom.

Later she went home and fell asleep again. At that moment, it happened again. Her eyes began to sting and red lightening showed her another vision. This time, she was in a suburban house with Hunter. He was sitting in his wheel chair putting up Christmas decorations while she sat on the couch. Closely, she glimpsed at the wedding ring he wore before. She must have said something, because she saw him turn and roll up to her, and place his head against her stomach. Then he smiled and kissed her.

She woke up abruptly to the sound of her phone. It was a code red. She slipped on her uniform and drove out to the crime scene. There she saw it happening.\

"Zoom! Hunter! Please, stop! Let me help you!"

"Youhadyourchaaaaaance to help, Flash! Now, tragedy for EVERYONE!"

But every time Zoom tried to kill someone, the Flash knocked him away blow for blow. Until, finally, Zoom knocked Flash unconscious. Zoom began to walk towards the Flash, with a sick gleam in his eyes.

"Freeze!" Abraham shouted and fired.

Zoom caught the bullet in the stomach and fell on his forehead. Abraham ran up and got ready to fire the gun.

"Say 'good-bye', freak." As he pulled the hammer on the gun back, someone tackled to the ground.

"STAY AWAY FROM MY HUSBAND!" Ashley screamed.

"You crazy bitch!" He turned around and tasered her. Not noticing the yellow garbed figure behind him beginning to wake up.

"A-Ashley?" Zoom whispered as he heard her screaming in pain. And his eyes grew wide with fear. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAASHLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!"

Just then, Abraham was stripped of his uniform, slapped in handcuffs, and thrown in the back of a S.W.A.T. car.

"Are you all right?' Flash asked Ashley. She slowly got up and walked over to Hunter as he was being taken by the E.M.T.s.

"Ashley? Youwerewillllllling to risk yoooooooour liiiiiiiiiiiifeforme?"

"I love you, Hunter." She said with a tearful smile.
"I… I love you too, Ashley."

The End