Iron Heights Penitentiary
"So..." Patty Spivot couldn't help but feel incredibly awkward in her current situation. "..Iris..." Iris West glanced up at Patty from across the table, her mouth half stuffed with food.
Prison food.
It was surprising that Iris was even able to stomach the stuff.
"...how've you been?" Patty asked. The reason for the uncertainty between the two women could all be pinned down to be the cause of one single man.
Barry Allen.
Iris' ex and (assisting in the awkward scenario) Patty's current co worker and boyfriend. Usually if those variables were put in a single room together it would spell disaster. Surprisingly that wasn't the case, somehow the three were still friends. Best friends in fact. Very peculiar.
"I'm not the best..." Iris admitted. She stabbed her fork into a portion of her meal and started to chew on it. "Freaking starving actually. Working 18 hour shifts doing research." Iris explained between mouthfuls. "I've been investigating a potential news story ab-" Patty's mind switched off at that point, she just watched Iris' lips move up and down. What was Barry thinking when they'd broken up? Wasn't it obvious to either of them that they were both perfect for each ot- "Are you going to finish that?" Iris' voice suddenly returned to Patty's hearing. In surprise Patty stared at Iris West's face before looking down at her bowl of barely touched tomato soup.
"Knock yourself out." She sighed before passing the soup over.
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Barry Allen embraced his mother across the table, the woman returning the embrace. After a few brief moments Nora let her son go.
"That's enough, Barry." She said, a small smile twitched on her face replacing the old stress marks and wrinkles that had donned her face over the years of her period in the hellhole known as Iron Heights. "I've got a reputation to keep." She joked.
"How are you, mum?" Barry asked. His mother's smile vanished from her face. "Mum?
"I... I've been fine, thank you Barry." She paused. "Well, as well as can be expected anyway."
"Good." Barry muttered. He opened the bag on the floor by his leg and pulled a small gift wrapped up in bright blue gift wrap from the bag's depths. "I brought this for you." He said placing the gift on the table right before his mother.
"What is it?" Nora asked. She held the gift in her hands and stared at the crinkly old paper. "Is... is this...?"
"It's the birthday paper you used for my birthday." Barry said before standing up. The other visitors in the room were all getting ready to leave. He pulled his bag strap over his shoulder. "The one before dad..." He went silent. "Open it when you want." He placed a kiss on his mother's cheek.
"Barry, I wanted to tell you..." Nora started to say as her son turned to leave.
"What is it?" Barry asked, his eyes etched with concern. Nora paused for a moment.
"I love you with all my heart." She said.
"I love you too mum." Barry said before stepping through the doors leading out of the visitor's room. Nora watcher her son leave and slowly unwrapped her gift. She pulled the frame from the paper and stared at the photograph she'd been given.
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Africa
"LORD GRODD!"
The cowled figure's ears fluttered at the sound of his guards approaching. He turned in his throne and stared down at the trio of individuals before him. Two of them were members of his royal guard, the other (judging from his beaten body as well as his current kneeling position) was presumably a criminal of some kind.
"What is it?"The King questioned. His eyes locked on the criminal causing the pathetic creature to shiver. One of the guards gulped before stepping forward.
"We successfully captured one of Solovar's rebels!" The guard yelled. "We caught him hiding down a back alley! Cowering like a rat!"
"Did you encounter Solovar?"The King asked.
"...no, my lord."
"Have you attempted to question the prisoner yet?"
"Yes, my lord."
"And what did you discover?"
"Solovar has fled Africa entirely." The guard growled. "Fled to a city.... one of the skins' cities. A place they call..." The guard turned towards his prisoner. "Tell him." He instructed.
"Ce.... Central City!" The prisoner yelped. "That's where he's gone! Tha... that is all I know."
"I highly doubt that."King Grodd growled. He tossed his cape to the side and reared onto his hind legs towering above his fellow apes.
Yes. Apes.
"It doesn't matter if you're telling the truth."Grodd growled to his new plaything. "It doesn't matter if you're lying."King Grodd's mind slowly entered the prisoner's thoughts. Slowly he began to corrupt the soldier before him. And slowly... the prisoner started to scream. "Either way, you're mine."The prisoner's screams echoed throughout the hall, the King enjoying every moment of it. Every sick fantasy he could imagine etched through the ape's mind before he allowed the pathetic simpleton the sweet release of death. "Central City..."Grodd growled before reattaching his cape.
"How interesting."
To be continued.
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