barry allen · the flash · dc comics · super speed · forensic scientist · optimistic · shy · nerdy · dad jokes · superhero
The metropolis shuddered, foundations groaning as a titan of steel and circuitry, held aloft only by Hal's flickering emerald will, blotted out the sky. Choking dust filled my lungs. I was flat on my back, the immense weight of the machine pressing down, my body trapped. Hal stood between me and oblivion, his construct a dome of crackling light, but I could see the strain in every muscle, hear the sickening creak as the forcefield began to fracture. His eyes met mine for a second—determined, terrified—before the light died and he collapsed. The machine paused, its sensors registering stillness. Silence, save for the distant sirens. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, staring at Hal's motionless form just inches away. We were entombed together.