CHAPTER 4: Boo
A jolt from his leg woke him.
Huh, when did he fall asleep?
He peered through his heavy eyelids; he remembered doing his best to keep them open a while earlier, at least until he made sure that Raven's inside. That's not what happened, was it?
He shifted on his position. A thick blanket on the floor and his gloves as a pillow were enough for a bed; he's used to lying down on wood, tiles, concrete, grass… so it's not big of a problem. He was right next to the bed that the kids were using, and Raven, well…
He casted his eyes down his feet, then a bit to the left. Someone was standing near the table. It's Raven. He didn't need to take a second look. Her back slightly faced him, yet her hand could be seen. Shadow covered her face, but the tip of her hood gave him an idea that she's eyeing the wooden car she was holding.
"When'd ya get in?" he asked, voice low and wobbly.
Raven didn't move from her place. "Why are you still awake?"
"When're ya gonna sleep?"
There a pause between them.
Kid Flash tried to stay awake.
"Later," Raven said. "I have to do something—"
"Wh—"
"—important. Don't mind me."
Kid Flash gave no reply and sighed. He averted his attention to the fireplace. He stared at the flames, thinking that the light would keep him from falling asleep. It didn't let him. His lids dropped almost instantly.
His head twitch as he opened them. Then he squeezed them shut. Then opened them as wide as he could. He probably looked like an owl or something.
However, he knew that he would soon succumb to sleep.
And he eventually did, though before he could fully fall into slumber, Raven's words reached his ears.
"I'm sorry."
Kid Flash roused.
This time, his batteries were full. The dawn was nigh yet he could rest for a few more hours, and as of now, he didn't feel the need for it.
But that's not the reason why he's awake.
His foot was cold. His head no longer rested on the softness of his gloves nor the blanket.
He sat, then combed his spiky hair with his fingers, glad that his gel kept it the way it was. Then he looked at his feet. The right boot's gone whilst the other was moved lower as though it's about to be taken off.
'Odd,' he thought. There were numerous times that he slept on his uniform, and his boots stayed on. By the looks of it, someone had planned to remove them for an unknown reason.
Thinking that it was the kids, he shook his head and let go of the matter. He stood up and searched for his gloves and boots, which he found scattered near him. He grabbed them and fixed his attire. Once done, he dusted off the blanket he used.
Kid Flash checked on the little ones.
One of them hid under the covers—it's probably Laura since she's on the left side.
In the middle, there's Luis, drool sliding on his cheek.
Then there's Shaun, his thumb in his mouth.
'Where's John?'
He scanned the room. He glanced at the the dining area, the kitchen, then at the fireplace. Soon his eyes landed right next to it.
Kid Flash padded towards the place and by the time he got close, a smile crept onto his face. Accompanied by a thump from his chest.
Slumped against the wall, and on the floor, was Raven, sleeping. Judging by her tousled hair, and the lines on her forehead, and how her jaw tensed—she had a rough night. John had buried his face into the crook of her neck while she cradled him as if he's her own.
Such a rare sight that Kid Flash was lucky to stumble upon.
He knelt, gaze fixed on the two people in front of him. Even though Raven appeared like she gave no damn about anyone or anything, her subtle actions proved otherwise.
Just like how her face relaxed after she stirred and held the child closer to her.
His cheeks felt tight. He realized that he'd been grinning.
He scoffed, and then later on gave off a hearty chuckle. 'Silly West,' he said to himself.
Kid Flash draped the blanket over their bodies. Then he pushed the strands of hair out of their faces as delicate as he could. Contented with what he had done, he got back on his feet.
Roaming around, he looked for something to do. He couldn't watch different people sleep for long, and he knew that there's no more food that he could munch on. He couldn't leave the cabin either; he might get lost out there especially that they're literally in the middle of nowhere. So he padded across the wooden floor, until he reached the dining table.
A wooden toy car caught his eye. It was beside another toy that's quite similar. He picked it up, examined its structure. There were rough edges and it's recently carved… but it's good.
He grabbed the other one and compared them—the previous car was a bit smaller and had some details missing, other than that, there's much no difference from the furnished toy.
Kid Flash glanced at Raven, then at the wooden toys, then back at her. His mouth tugged into a smirk.
She indeed cared. She even went as far as sculpting a matching toy so the boys would both have one. He doubted that she used her hocus pocus or anything magic, if then, it would've been a replica.
"Very nice," he said.
'Oh!'
He strode from there to the bedside desk.
Somehow he had rummaged through every compartment—almost—inside the cabin last night for beddings, which it evidently didn't have, expect for a spare blanket.
This one had been untouched. He pulled the drawer, hoping to find something to fold.
"Leaves, brown leaves… nails… clips—wow, they have a collection of junk here," he mumbled as he moved tiny objects, refraining from making noises that could wake the others.
"Tacks… stuffs I don't use… This, this's bori—Aha!"
Kid Flash yanked a chunk of paper underneath the clutter.
Bad move.
Dust went from the drawer and into the air. He sneezed. Tumbling backwards, his hand clutched the nearest thing. He landed on his elbow with the covers in his hand.
'Great.'
He sighed. After he got up, he began to draw the covers over the children. Then halfway he stopped.
"What the…"
A bunch of dusty old rags lied beside Luis.
"Laura?"
His eyes darted around the room. If she's there, he would have seen her.
Kid Flash dropped the fabric he was holding and removed the dirty cloth.
He ran outside. Wherever that kid might be, he must find her.
"Laura?"
"Forget about that. Soon he will be exhausted and his friend will be helpless... I will make sure."
He snapped his head over the end of the porch. That accent was fairly familiar.
He went down the stairs, and edged around the cabin.
"Trust m— You'll see... I will take care of them."
A turn at the corner. His body froze.
Before him was no child, but a tall lady. Short hair. Red and black suit. Slender body.
Kid Flash scowled.
"Rouge."
"Speak of the devil." Madame Rouge turned around to face him, a condescending smirk playing on her lips.
Kid Flash cautiously took a series of steps backwards. He knew he had to run. She's dangerous. But he's not leaving. Not just yet.
"Where's the kid?"
"Take a guess… or not."
Rouge stretched her arm and delivered a blow. Kid Flash slammed against the snowy ground.
Darn. He should've known it's coming.
More that a split second, he recovered. Then he zoomed to the forest and zigzagged around the trees.
He hoped that it would restrict her elasticity.
He looked back. Her elongated arms reached close behind. He returned his attention to where he was going and tried to run faster.
She moved as fast as him.
And whoa, those limbs just kept stretching.
'Plan b—'
Elastic hands wrapped his leg. She towed him, then soon he was whipped.
Wind rushed past from behind as he felt himself flying. Though not for long. His back ached upon hitting something, probably a tree.
Kid Flash dropped to the ground, face flat. He groaned as he attempted to get up, only to be thrown again.
Madame Rouge retracted her arm. "This looks familiar, is it not?"
Kid Flash raised his head. Her fist sped forward yet he managed to dodge the attack.
"Very. Remember this?" He crouched and spun his arm in big circles, creating a tornado.
It blew down his enemy, and like before, her feet were anchored to the ground. But unlike before, snow whirled and smacked her right in the face.
Ha, he made sure of that.
Kid Flash faced the opposite direction and ran in place, adding yet another heap of snow over her body. With a satisfied smirk, he dashed away.
But just as then, he frowned.
He had to get to Raven. The kids. Laura.
He reached for his communicator. All he could touch was air. And his clothes.
He scrunched his nose. 'Where's my communicator?'
He felt for the device on his pants again. On his upper body. Still, it wasn't there.
'C'mon! Where's it?'
He tried to recall where he placed it.
'Keep your communicators with you at all times,' Robin's words swarmed in his mind.
'…at all times.'
'At all times.'
Kid Flash slammed on his brakes. "I shouldn't have taken it off to sl— No! I didn't even take it off!"
His eyes darted around. Trees. Trees. Trees! Where's the way back? He let out an exasperated sigh then sprinted to a random direction.
Madame Rouge might have took it. If then, he's doomed.
So doomed.
"Dickie, don't kill me," he muttered.
After passing a lots of trees on the way, his speed began to wear off. He gritted his teeth and forced his legs to move further, but they couldn't. His run slowed to a walk, then trudging was all he could do at the next steps.
How lucky.
He slumped against a trunk, and placed a hand on his stomach when it growled. He should have packed a lot of food before going to this mission. Now he couldn't run—
Smack!
Kid Flash tumbled across the woods. A large root stopped him from going further. He sat up and rubbed his head.
Madame Rouge stood a few meters from him. She had a hand on her hips as she leisurely approached him.
"You must regret offering your meal to that girl. Your chivalry is your downfall."
"Nuts. I'm merely being nice. Guess you haven't received kindness from any— Huh? How did you—"
Wham!
He flew, his back hitting another hard surface. Gah—he got this rag doll tossing again. Typical.
She wrapped her rubbery flesh around him and pulled. He struggled, but she only tightened her grasp.
"The Teen Titans will not accept you."
The Teen Titans? He never mentioned any titan to her.
"How—"
His eyes widened.
'Be careful of those around you…'
He gasped. "You—"
'One of them can't be trusted.'
"You are——"
Madame Rouge's appearance gradually changed into a face of a kid.
Laura.
Her lips turned into a twisted smirk as she raised her fist.
"The child who never existed."