And for those of you who don’t know, this little story is RPG based. And yes I KNOW Wally West doesn’t smoke, but for a short time, in OUR RP land he does! So…… happy reading!
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What is a habit exactly? Well, Webster’s dictionary defines a ‘habit’ of being a “A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.” And then there’s the OTHER term ‘addiction’ (which I’ve had to look up myself) is a 1) “Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance.” And/or 2) “The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something.”
And yet I still don’t see what all the fuss is about. I started smoking last year sometime. I think it was around the end of summer. Things started to get to me. I started getting depressed, stressed out and I figured that if something else would help occupy my time, all of that would go way. When I started I only intended for it to go away. And lemme tell you something, it really DID. It helped calm my nerves and it continues to help calm my nerves.
Right now, I’m laying down in the Titan’s Tower infirmary, starring at the ceiling. My arm and my chest is throbbing with pain. Every time I scream out, I get hushed by Garth or Roy or… DONNA even.
“Don’t worry, Wally. Everything will be okay. I know it hurts, but you need to breathe.” Donna’s the one that keeps telling me that. Has SHE ever been shot before? Does she REALLY know what it feels like? Damn. It’s like this sharp stabbing, fiery pain that stays in one spot, but if you MOVE, the feeling spreads all throughout your body. Yeah, I know. It sucks. And I couldn’t agree more.
This pain is SO bad, you wouldn’t even believe it. I still don’t understand how Barbara, Dick, or even Bruce can ignore the pain like it’s nothing. Hmmmph. They’ve been shot more than five times before, so maybe it’s the fact that their used to it? HOWCANANYONEGETUSEDTOTHISFEELING!!?? Okay. NOW I want a cigarette. And I want one now. It’ll stop the pain …I know it will. I can’t smoke INSIDE the tower, but I know I can go outside.
Gah—You know what? I thought it wouldn’t HAPPEN, and I could keep this a little secret, and MY personal little “thing.” But when I came crawling into the tower Donna started working on me. Roy was semi-aiding her. At one point I remember me starting to choke on SOMEthing, and it started getting harder to breathe. Next thing I know I wake up with no one around.
“Did you KNOW he was doing this?” Donna asked. She was outside of the room, and I could hear her as clear as a bell.
“Well….”
“Roy!” her voice was hushed. I think she was keeping her voice low so she wouldn’t wake me up. Heh... not liked it mattered.
“You KNEW and you didn’t tell us?”
“He did it once, when Dick was in his coma. I told him that shit could kill him. But you know Wally’s skull is as thick as a rhino’s! I told him and I coaxed him he should stop. I thought he would listen to me.”
“He obviously didn’t listen to you. Do you know how long he’s been doing this?”
“Nope. Maybe Robbie knows.”
It was pretty clear they found the few cigarettes that were stashed in my jacket pocket, along with the lighter. I mean, it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. GWAD. WHY did DONNA have to find out? Of ALL people!? I’m in trouble. BIG trouble. Now Robbie knows…. He was the second one—no, third one who knew… no fourth one who knew about this. Evelyn Striker was number one, Roy was number two, Barbara was number three (she doesn’t know I’m STILL smoking at this point. She only saw me one time and thought it was just a “one time thing”. BOY was she ever wrong.), and then Robbie was the last. I’m pretty sure that Roy thought it was a one time thing, but knowing him, he prolly KNEW and kept it a secret. Roy’s SO nice… Arugh! But DONNA knows and if Donna knows that means she’s gunna tell Barb…. Robbie threatened me earlier today TO tell Barb, but I exploded.
HOW could I be so dumb!? Okay, here’s what happened: I left Robbie in the ally once I dragged his butt over to SHOE him my shop. I got mad at him for…. For….. DARN! I can’t remember. Anyway, I went into the smoke shop for a pack of Prime Times. (MY brand. They’re cherry and vanilla flavored ciggs. They’re GREAT!) I remember NOW. Robbie destroyed my others when he found them on me. Damn bastard. Anyway, I went into the store and just started LOOKING around. I stopped at the adult book section, but pulled my butt away when I saw a mother and her daughter come into the shop. I moved over to the lighters. I got a brand new one. It’s a sleek red metallic one, looks tight! When I told the cashier what I wanted, he pulled everything out for me, grabbed the lighter and YES—I bought a pack of condoms. JUST in case me an’ Barb wanted to get frisky that night. (Heeheh. I dunno why I bother to get them, skin feels better anyway!) Then suddenly this… guy burst into the door and started waving his gun around. Yelling at the cashier to give him “All the cash in the register and be quick about it.”
It’s not like I could have Flash jump into action and stop him, so I did the civil thing and played ‘innocent civilian.’ But that act didn’t wave for long. When the guy turned and grabbed hold of that little girl, my heart just broke. I jumped up to PULL her out of the way, but instead, for my act, he shot me. And here I thought my aura would protect and deflect the bullets, but it didn’t. He got me once in the shoulder, twice in the gut and another one in my leg. I fell back, the guy grabbed all the cash and ran out of the store. Gotham City SUCKS for crime. And after that whole incident, I knew it was a proven fact.
As I lay there the cashier started to call for an ambulance but I stopped him and got to my feet weakly. “Please, don’t. I’ll be fine, thanks though.”
The mother of the child kissed my cheek thanking me for saving her baby’s life. I could only smile at that. It’s THAT kind of thanks why I even do the whole hero thing. But as Wally West?? She THANKED me as Wally West. Can’t get any better than that, now can it? SHE even offered to take me to the nearest hospital, but I politely refused. I WANTED to go to the hospital, but we ALL know most regular treatment can’t HELP me. Blood was everywhere and I didn’t care. I walked out of the store in a half decent manner, turned the corner and took off for the Titan’s tower. If anyplace, they could help me…somehow.
When I got there I collapsed on the floor, cursing. I knew I shouldn’t have ran, but it was the only way. I called for help, and just continued to lay there, motionless, in hopes that the pain would stop. My mind started whirling about a billion miles a minute. WHY didn’t my aura deflect the bullets? I knew it was weak, because I somehow caught a cold and started getting feverish. But that was weeks before. What would have happened if Robbie didn’t destroyed my other cigarettes and I didn’t go to the smoke shop? Would that little girl still even be ALIVE?? In a way, I’m glad I went, even if it did expose my little secret.
Fate and destiny plays games with you all the time. I found that out when I was doused in chemicals, got hit by lightning and got my speed. It happened when I stole Uncle Barry’s ring from the Flash museum and took over the mantle when he passed. It happened SO many times before in saving the world and people’s lives. Hell, it even happened when I met Barbara. The game can sometimes be a good game, and other times it’ll give you a challenge. Challenges are always good because they always prep you for something far more extensive, and for something that awaits you in the future. I guess this is my test... MY “challenge”.
The doorknob starts to jiggle. Donna’s coming in. This isn’t gunna be good.
“Oh, Wally! You’re up?”
I can’t speak because of the damn oxygen mask. I want Babs here so bad, but I’m afraid to let her see me like this. She doesn’t need this. MORE worry. If anyone, she can do without it. I move my fingers around, using sign language to communicate with her. “Been up for ages now. Can I go?”
“No, hon. I’m sorry. We still need to monitor you and make sure you’re alright.” The compassion in her eyes was brutal. I love Donna, I really do. She’s SO pretty, so kind, caring… “Wally, we need to talk.”
Uh oh. “talk.” Was never good. And I just had a hunch of what it was about. “I can’t talk too well Donna. My voice is GONE. I tried to speak earlier and I can’t.”
“I’m sure that’s just temporary.” She assured. Her eyes were trained on MY hands, just in effort so she could understand me.
“I’m sure it is.” I really wanna leave. I wanna get out of the place, but I can’t. It hurts SO much to move. “What did you want to talk about, Donna?”
She pulled out all eight Prime Time’s and my NEW lighter.
Damn. Busted. BIG time.