Sorry if anything sounds strange in this chapter. I'm still trying to keep it close to the original, but fix it up at places as well.
Enjoy :)
L.L.A.P
~Laces
Chpt.3
Blinking my eyes open, I felt confused as to where I was exactly. Underneath me was a comfortable couch and I could hear voices. As I regained more consciousness, I realized that the voices were coming from the television and that Flash was sitting on the couch next to me, watching a cartoon show (Loony Toons to be precise).
My plan was to leave. To gather what was left in my stomach and use it to fuel myself to run as fast as possible.
However, as fast as possible proved to be a small flinch which landed me from the couch to the floor.
"Whoa, awake already?" Flash questioned, helping me off the ground and back onto the couch. "Are you feeling okay? You hit your head pretty hard."
"W-where am I?" I questioned shakily. I felt weak and tired.
"You're at some abandoned warehouse which is acting as my secret hide out until I can find a hideout that I can make my own. This place is being bulldozed in a few months." Flash shrugged. As he spoke, I felt something wet and oily on my thumb. I looked down to see a blue mark.
"What d-did you do to my thumb?" I questioned.
"I just wanted to find out who you are. No need to get so worried." He said calmly, but I was feeling anything but calm.
"I-I told you my name, wasn't that enough?"
"Look, when someone has the same abilities as me, it makes me curious. We could be family."
"I don't want family. Family isn't good. They leave and hurt and… and I-I just want to be left alone." I stated and I felt like I was on the verge of tears.
"Hey, it's okay. Alright? I don't want to make you scared. Let's just talk through this." Flash said calmly. He moved to touch me, but I flinched away from him. "I read some stuff about you. Your mother is looking everywhere for you. She's worried sick."
"I'm not going back to her! I can't! D-don't make me!" I shook a bit. "Please, don't bring me back to her."
"Why? Why not?" Flash questioned, his voice remaining calm. I stared at him for a moment, unsure if I should say anything. However, what else could I do?
"She… she isn't good." I frowned, looking away from him. Could I tell Flash what all that woman did to me? I wrapped my arms around myself, just thinking about what she would do made me cringe in fear.
"Can you be more specific? How isn't she good, Lyf?" Flash questioned slowly.
"She… hurt me. A lot." I whispered, still looking at a spot on the ground rather at the man.
"Did she… hit you?" Flash inquired, and I nodded. "Did she do anything else?"
"She wouldn't give me food sometimes." I whispered. "And she would lock me in the closet. And… i-it wasn't good. It hurt." I said. I hated recounting the things that the woman did to me. It filled me with a feeling of dread and fear, but all I wanted to be was happy.
"Alright Lyf. She hurt you. Do you have any proof of her attacks?" Flash inquired. I looked down at my sweatshirt and unzipped it, showing the healing cuts and scars on my skin. I could see Flash's eyes widen at the sight of my scars.
"Lyf, these are knife wounds." He informed, his voice full of shock.
"… yeah." I whispered with a small nod.
Flash reached towards me and I flinched again, but this time he didn't pull back. He wrapped his arms around me in a squeeze but it wasn't a painful squeeze. It was a… nice squeeze. It took me a moment to realize that he was hugging me.
It was so nice. Arms around me just holding me, no harm coming to me. I couldn't help but relax against his chest and I could feel tears well up in my eyes and spill down my cheeks.
Crying was something I didn't do often. However, that hug, that human contact that didn't become pain, was wonderful.
"Lyf, how long have you been living on your own?" Flash inquired.
"Two months." I whispered, still keeping myself in the hug and he didn't let go.
"Where have you been living? That place in the woods?"
"Yes." I answered in a softer voice since my throat hurt a bit from my crying.
It was quiet for a while aside from the television in the background. I still felt weak and just relaxing against Flash felt nice.
"Why the woods, Lyf?" Flash questioned, but he didn't sound upset, just genuinely curious.
"B-because people are mean everywhere else." I said, and I could feel Flash sigh.
"Lyf, not everyone is like your Mom. Most people would call what your Mom did horrible and despicable." Flash informed.
Just then, a beeping sound came from a machine in the room. Flash didn't let me go as he ran to the machine and back to the couch in a blink of an eye holding papers in his hands.
"W-what's that?" I questioned. I was grateful that Flash didn't break the hug, because it was really nice, but I was still a bit apprehensive about the man.
"Some more info about you. I sent your thumbprint to a friend of mine and he faxed me back what he found." Flash informed and his eyes scanned over the papers. I was silent, not knowing how to respond to what he said. He then questioned,
"Your Dad. What do you know about him?"
"He left and I'm pretty sure that he got sick and died." I informed slowly. All I knew about my Dad other than that was that he was a bit of a loner. I couldn't help but be angry that he left me with my mom. I wished he took me with him, wherever he went.
"He was my cousin." Flash whispered. "Meaning you are a part of my family."
I looked at Flash, surprised. Family? Other than my mother?
"S-so what now?" I questioned.
"Now, we get your mother arrested for child abuse." Flash informed and I pulled out of the nice hug to stare at him.
"She can be arrested?"
"Of course." Flash beamed. I smiled back, but then started thinking out loud.
"So… once that happens, does that mean I could live in the woods again?"
"Well, living in the woods isn't the healthiest of things, Lyf. And to get your mother arrested, the law is going to want to know if you're in safe hands." He explained, and I frowned.
"So someone would have to want me?" I shook my head, remembering all the things my mother used to say to me. "Flash, I… I don't think that's going to happen." I frowned, but Flash grinned and ruffled my hair.
"What are you talking about? Since I'm your relative, I can gain custody of you, and you could stay with me." Flash stated.
"Wait, you want me?" I inquired. I was always told that my existence was a hassle and that I was unwanted. Now I was?
"Of course. You're family, and family sticks together." Flash smiled at me and I looked up at him through my tears.
"Th-this is crazy. Everything is moving so fast." I whispered. One moment I was homeless and my mother was unstoppable, and then the next I had a family with a member that wanted to take care of me and my mother could be arrested. It was mind boggling.
"I can understand that, but everything will be okay. You're with Uncle Wally now." He said in a gentle voice.
"Wally?" I looked at him perplexed.
"Yeah, secret identity and all that. Our family has a lot of them." He grinned and he slid the mask off of his face. he had light blue eyes and short red hair. He looked a bit like the pictures I saw of my dad.
"Now, before we call the police and report what the problem is and all that, how about we eat? I'm starving and I'm sure you are too." Flash, or should I say Wally, gave me a burger.
"…Thanks." I whispered, still in some shock.
"No problem, and if you want more, just help yourself." Wally pointed to the fridge. "I buy in bulk."
I couldn't believe what was happening. It was like a dream. A dream that I didn't want to wake up from.
