I'm posting this here for a friend of mine named Trepverter. This is her first JL story that centers on Flash. She would appreciate any comments you might have.
Summary: (Work In Progress) A beautiful girl moves into the apartment above Wally. Meanwhile, problems begin when he becomes ill and it affects his speed.
Face to Face
By Trepverter
One
It felt good to be home again Wally West thought to himself as he unlocked the front door to his third story apartment in Central City.
He carelessly tossed his keys and wallet on the kitchen table as he made his way directly to the refrigerator. “What shall we have for dinner tonight?” Wally said, to himself.
Opening the refrigerator door, he perused his choices. Three eggs, two cans of Pepsi, an empty carton of milk, and a half-eaten turkey sub left over from last night’s supper. Hungry, Wally snatched the turkey sub and devoured it in two bites. As he reached for a can of Pepsi, he heard the faint sound of running footsteps coming from the apartment above.
I guess they finally rented Marty O’Malley’s old apartment, Wally thought to himself, as he opened the Pepsi and slowly poured the drink into his mouth in one long steady stream. As he greedily shook the last few drops of Pepsi into his mouth, he felt a drop of water land on his forehead.
Immediately his eyes were drawn to a large wet spot on the ceiling above his head where droplets of water had formed.
Splat! Another drop landed squarely between his eyes. “Hey! What’s going on up there?” Wally yelled at the ceiling.
He raced to the bathroom for a towel and began sopping up the droplets that had formed on the ceiling. As he firmly pressed the bathroom towel against the leaking ceiling, the towel quickly grew heavy with water. Wally tossed the towel aside and raced back to the bathroom for another towel; in no time, it too became fully saturated.
Wally was beginning to feel like the Dutchman with his fingers in the leaking dyke. As he removed the second towel, he realized that the leak was continuing to spread. Nearly half of the kitchen ceiling had absorbed so much water that it was softening and beginning to buckle. Cracks were forming and several new leaks began to drip.
Frantic, Wally tossed the second towel aside and set several empty pots beneath several leaks. Stunned, he watched helplessly as the empty pots began to fill with water.
“Is anyone up there?” Wally angrily shouted, at the ceiling.
As if in answer to his question, the ceiling directly above his head gave way and Wally was completely drenched by the unexpected downpour of water.
Two
Kali raced down the stairs to the first floor of the apartment building. She did not trust the elevator to get her there fast enough. She skipped three steps at a time and it still seemed like she was moving in slow motion.
At last, she reached the end of the final set of stairs. She jumped from the fourth step onto the main floor and ran past the elevator. Kali ran down the empty hall noting the apartment numbers, heading for the one at the far end of the hall.
Finally she reached the one she was looking for, labeled with the two large tarnished brass letters‘1A’. A small metal nameplate hung on the door beneath the apartment number: ‘C. Jensen, Superintendent’.
“Mr. Jensen!” Kali yelled, as she pounded on the Superintendent’s door. Please be there. Please be there, she pleaded silently to herself.
The door slowly opened and a short portly man stood expectantly in the doorway “Yes?” he asked. “Oh, good evening Miss O’Malley. Is there something I can help you with?” he asked, smiling politely.
“Yes, please hurry,” Kali insisted, pulling the man’s arm as she turned toward the elevator.
“Wait a minute!” the man protested. “What’s wrong?” he asked, calmly.
“The kitchen sink is leaking and flooding the whole place,” Kali said breathlessly. “Please!” she begged, “You have to hurry!”
Without another word, the Superintendent disappeared back into his apartment and returned carrying an old rusted tool box in one hand and a large plastic bucket in the other.
Kali followed Mr. Jensen into the elevator. She knew this was a mistake. They shouldn’t be taking the elevator; she thought to herself, they should be racing up the stairs! She could only imagine the lake she was going to find in her flooded apartment when they finally arrived.
She glanced at Mr. Jensen. He sure didn’t seem concerned. In fact, he was the picture of ‘calm’. You’d think he was patiently waiting in a dentist office or something.
“Don’t worry, Miss O’Malley. It will be alright,” Mr. Jensen said reassuringly.
Kali looked at him in disbelief.
Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, the elevators doors opened to her floor. She raced down the hall ahead of him, praying that the water had somehow stopped leaking on its own.
Throwing the door open, Kali knew it was too late the moment she stepped into her living room. She could feel the soggy carpeting squish beneath her feet with each step. Kali turned around in time to see the look of astonishment on Mr. Jensen’s face as he entered the apartment door. She was not sure what he was thinking, but she was sure that this was not at all what he expected.
Kali followed Mr. Jensen as he sloshed through the living room and waded through the pool of water in the kitchen. He calmly bent down beneath the sink and turned off the water supply. Without a word, Mr. Jensen began cleaning up the mess.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Who in the world can that be? Kali thought to herself.
She walked to the door and peered out the peephole. What she saw made her double over in laughter. On the other side of the door stood this tall, dirty-looking young man, soaked to the bone and dripping wet. There were small pieces of wet plaster, dust, and grime on his face and in his hair. Judging from the look on his face, he was not happy. In fact, he looked utterly miserable; so much so, that it was comical and she couldn’t help but laugh.
Three
Wally angrily pressed the doorbell button again. Apparently, the fool in the apartment upstairs had left the kitchen water running to the point of overflowing the sink. He was in no mood for this. He was uncomfortably wet, covered in plaster, grimy and dirty. To top it all off, his stomach was beginning to growl and he was getting hungry, which only aggravated the situation.
He pressed his ear up against the door. He knew someone was home, after all he had heard foot steps from his apartment below. Why didn’t anyone answer the doorbell? he wondered.
His stomach growled again. “I’m standing here in the hallway, dirty, dripping wet and now starving to death!” he grumbled. His cold, uncomfortably wet clothes clung to him like a second skin, dripping silently onto the hallway carpeting, forming several small puddles where he stood.
Slowly the door opened. An attractive young woman, dressed in blue jeans and a maroon Central City University t-shirt appeared from behind the door. She was laughing so hard that she was doubled-over, holding her stomach.
Wally stared in amazement.
“I’m sorry,” she managed to say in between bursts of laughter. “Please come in,” she said, managing to get control of herself.
Speechless, he stared at her. This woman was beautiful, stunning, to say the least. Her shoulder-length black, wavy hair accentuated her incredibly captivating blue eyes, which were the deepest shade of blue Wally had ever seen. He doubted he had ever seen another woman with such innocent natural beauty.
Wally followed Kali into the apartment. Clearly, Kali had just moved in that day; there were open cartons, boxes, and bulging bags of clothes everywhere. As Wally moved deeper into the apartment, he could feel the sogginess of the waterlogged carpeting beneath his feet. He turned his attention back to Kali, “What happened?” he asked.
Kali pointed to the kitchen, “I was running the water in the kitchen sink to cook a pot of spaghetti and the next thing I knew, water began pouring out from the pipe underneath the sink.”
Curious, Wally headed directly for the kitchen.
“Wally?” Mr. Jensen said, as they entered the room.
“Hey C.J.!” Wally answered. “What’s the deal here?” he asked.
“Looks like a busted pipe. What happened to you?” Mr. Jensen asked, looking concerned.
“Huh?” Wally responded, “Oh yeah. It’s raining in my kitchen – now I can shower AND cook dinner at the same time.”
“Glad to see you still got your sense of humor, Wally!” Mr. Jensen replied. “I’ll be down to check it out as soon as I’m through here.”
“No problem C.J. Take your time,” Wally answered, turning his attention to Kali. “By the way, I’m your neighbor from down under; Wally West.”
Kali smiled. “I’m Kali O’Malley,” she said, extending her hand. “And I’m truly sorry about your apartment.”
Wally shook her hand and then gently kissed it. “Apology accepted, but only if you allow me to treat you to dinner. It doesn’t look like your spaghetti will be ready any time soon,” he added, his green eyes twinkling.
Kali smiled and nodded shyly.
“Okay then. I think I need to hop in the shower before we go, though. Do you want to hang out in my apartment while I get ready? It will only take a second,” he suggested.
Kali glanced in Mr. Jensen’s direction.
“It’s okay, Kali. You can trust Wally. He’ll behave like a perfect gentleman; won’t you Wally?” Mr. Jensen said, throwing Wally a stern look.
“Sure, C.J..., Just call me ‘Sir Lancelot,’” Wally said, bowing ever so gentlemanly.
Four
Kali followed Wally into his apartment one level below, Apartment 3D. She was not surprised to find that the layout of Wally’s apartment was identical to hers, but the décor was distinctly different. Beautiful photographs of breath-taking scenery hung haphazardly along the walls to his apartment. His tastefully decorated apartment reflected Wally’s preference for a comfortable and simple lifestyle. Several comic books, assorted sports magazines, and newspapers covered the La-Z-Boy sofa and matching recliner. Although a bit cluttered, the apartment was otherwise clean and neat.
“Sorry for the mess,” Wally said, scooping up the comic books, magazines, and newspapers.
Kali nodded and smiled.
“Care for a glass of Pepsi?” Wally offered, arranging the magazines and newspapers into a neat pile on his coffee table.
“Diet or regular?” she asked politely, watching him.
“Sorry, only got regular. Is that okay?” he asked.
“Sure,” Kali nodded, “Don’t bother though, I can get it myself. Why don’t you go ahead and get ready,” she said, heading towards the kitchen.
“Okay, Thanks,” Wally smiled and disappeared into the bathroom.
Kali heard the sound of the shower running, as she entered the kitchen. The large gaping hole in the ceiling above Wally’s sink took her by surprise as did the four overflowing pots of water sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. Forgetting the Pepsi, she opened the kitchen closet door in search of a broom, mop, and dustpan.
First, she emptied the pots of water, washed the pots, and mopped up the kitchen floor. Then she noticed that some debris from the ceiling had also fallen on the counters as well as on top of the refrigerator, so she cleaned that up as well. Now the kitchen looked as good as new, or at least as good as could be under the circumstances, she reasoned.
She opened the refrigerator door to get that drink of Pepsi Wally had offered. To her surprise, the spotless refrigerator was nearly empty except for a can of Pepsi, 3 eggs and an empty milk carton. What is that about? she wondered, taking the Pepsi can.
Five
Wally was so anxious to get back to Kali that he showered and shaved in less than four seconds. Too quick, he realized, as he searched through his dresser for his favorite blue baseball shirt.
Ah! He remembered. It’s with the dirty clothes! He rushed to the hamper and hastily yanked out the treasured shirt.
“Ugh! This has to be washed!” he said, with disgust. Quickly he threw it in the sink and doused it with laundry detergent. He scrubbed it at super speed and another second later, it was clean and fresh again. He twisted it above the sink, wringing out all the water.
A bit wet still though, he realized, as he donned his favorite and now clean shirt. He sped around in a circle at super speed to dry the shirt. Once again, in no time, his task was complete.
Surveying his appearance in the mirror, Wally suddenly felt overcome by a strange sense of vertigo; stumbling forward, he lost his balance and fell to the floor. Something was wrong. Instinctively he covered his eyes and leaned back on the floor. The room began to spin.
After a few seconds, Wally grew restless. I can’t just lay here on the floor! he told himself. His stomach began growling again, which reminded him that he needed to get to some food, quick.
Remembering that Kali was in the next room, he wondered what she was doing. He carefully rose to his feet and quietly tiptoed over to his bedroom door. Placing his ear against the door, he heard the television in the living room. Slowly, he opened the door and peeked out. Kali was sitting comfortably on the recliner with a full glass of Pepsi in her hand watching a news program on TV. Good, he thought, that gives me plenty of time.
Quickly, he ran back to the bathroom and turned the shower back on. After changing into his Flash costume, he climbed out the bathroom window, slid down the fire escape and raced down the street, at super speed, to Hamburger Haven. Within a matter of moments, he was sitting at a table eating. He ate 5 cheeseburgers, 4 French fries, 3 super sodas and 11 chocolate chip cookies in the time it takes anyone else to unwrap a straw.
Ahhh! Flash sighed. He felt much better now and let out a loud burp!
The woman at the next table shot him an annoyed look.
“Ooops, sorry,” Flash said, looking embarrassed.
“Look Mom! There’s Flash!” a little five-year-old boy shouted, jumping up and down excitedly, pointing to Flash.
“Flash? Where?” echoed voices throughout the restaurant.
Suddenly, Flash found himself surrounded by a small crowd of admirers. Before he knew it, a news reporter, who had cut his way through the crowd, stood at Flash’s side. The pushy man presumptuously wrapped his arm around Flash’s shoulder and shoved a large microphone in front of Flash’s face.
“Flash!” the reporter shouted excitedly in Flash’s ear. “Ron Bevins, from W3DTV, here. Can I have a quick interview?” Not bothering to wait for an answer he began his interview. “Flash, please tell our viewers, what are you doing here?” he asked. The reporter, though addressing Flash, looked directly at the video camera pointed at them by the news station’s cameraman.
Flash beamed, smiling from ear to ear. Instead of looking at the camera, Flash focused his complete attention on the reporter. With just inches between their faces, Flash threw his arm around the man and spoke into his face. “Why Ron, I’m enjoying a quick little meal out. How about you? You hungry, Ron?”
The reporter was stunned to silence. Clearly, he had not expected Flash to react this way. The people he interviewed were supposed to focus their attention on the camera, not him. They were supposed to answer the questions, not him. And, this interview was supposed to be about Flash, not him! “Uh, … no, I ate dinner earlier, thanks,” he stuttered, looking back and forth between Flash and the camera, flustered.
“Well, I highly recommend the cheeseburgers and fries at this wonderful establishment, Ron. Perhaps next time you can join me?” Flash continued, still staring Ron in the face.
“Uh… yes, that would be nice,” Ron answered. “Listen, Flash,” he said, taking back control of this interview. “I’d like to ask you a few questions. Very few super-heroes are out and about town, but you have always been available to the public. Would you say that accounts for your popularity with the citizens of Central City?”
“Sure, Ron!” Flash answered with enthusiasm. “I believe super-heroes should go out there and mingle with the citizens. You know, establish a relationship, so to speak. I’m a people person, Ron, how about you?” Flash grabbed the microphone out of Ron’s hand and aimed it at the reporter’s shocked face.
“Uh, sure, Flash. Of course, I am a people person. I mean I love people,” Ron looked uncomfortable.
“Glad to hear that, Ron.” Flash turned his attention away from Ron and to a blonde-haired 6 year-old girl, standing nearby. “Say, sweetie, what’s your name?” he asked, turning his back on the reporter.
The little girl’s face lit up. “Joy,” she replied bashfully.
“What a lovely name!” Flash said sincerely. “Would you be my friend?” he asked.
“Okay,” Joy giggled and nodded.
“Excuse me, Flash, I need that microphone back,” Ron interrupted, snatching the microphone out of Flash’s hand.”
Flash hugged Joy and then hugged Ron, “No problem, Ron. I gotta run anyway. Bye everyone!”
Six
Kali was surprised to see Wally emerge from his bedroom looking so neat and clean. He was actually quite handsome, she thought. She particularly liked his strong jaw line and wide friendly smile. It surprised her to see that his true hair color was actually red, and not the mousy brown it had appeared earlier with the broken bits of plaster and grimy dirt. And it was a rather nice shade at that, she observed. She hadn’t noticed it before, but he was actually rather brawny and muscular.
“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long,” Wally apologized.
“Oh, not at all,” Kali answered, “I take much longer in the shower, myself.”
“Anything special on the news?” he asked.
“Oh no… it must be a dreadfully, slow night,” Kali responded, looking back at the TV. “They got this poor reporter wandering the streets interviewing anyone he can find.”
“Really? Is that Ron Bevins?” Wally asked, recognizing the reporter. “This guy usually interviews interesting people.”
“Oh no, not tonight. They had him talking to some fool in a red rubber suit about hamburgers. If it wasn’t so pitiful it would have been comical!” Kali stood up and switched off the TV. “How about some food? I don’t know about you, but I’m famished! I could eat a horse!”
“Why do you think the guy was a fool?” Wally asked, looking concerned.
“Oh don’t worry about it, Wally,” Kali said, dismissing the question. “Are you in the mood for Italian food?” she asked. “I could really go for a nice dish of pasta.”
“Why do you think the guy was a fool?” Wally repeated.
“Huh? Oh, I don’t know. All the guy could do is talk about silly things. I think he was a clown or something. You know… one of those clowns that entertains at little kids’ birthday parties? Maybe the guy is really a frustrated accountant who gets his kicks getting dressed up in rubber and leaping through the streets.”
“Did they mention the man’s name?” Wally asked.
“His name? Oh, I don’t know. I think it was Splash, or Clash. Who cares! It really doesn’t matter; it’s not like he does anything important or anything. You don’t want to hire him for a party or anything do you?” she joked.
“Uh… no. I don’t think so,” Wally answered, sheepishly, “Let’s get some pizza.”
Seven
Wally paced the floor in the living room while Kali ‘freshened up’ in the bathroom. He could not shake that disappointed feeling he got from Kali’s remarks about his alter ego, Flash. Wally felt badly that Kali did not seem to like Flash. If she did not care for Flash, he reasoned, she certainly would never care for HIM.
Why did this bother him so? he wondered. After all, Flash certainly wasn’t at the top of everyone’s favorite superhero list. I guess it is true what Wonder Woman said about my not taking rejection well, Wally shrugged sadly.
Wait a minute! Wally realized. Kali just moved here. Kali doesn’t even know Flash! She could not possibly dislike someone she doesn’t even know! Wally let out a big sigh of relief. It wasn’t so hopeless after all! All she had to do was get to know Flash. Wally was beginning to look forward to this!
Just then, Kali emerged from the bathroom. She smiled as she looked up. “Ready to go?” she asked, cheerfully.
“After you,” Wally said, opening the door for Kali.
“Oh good, I’m glad I caught you,” Mr. Jensen said as he stepped out of the elevator across the way from Wally’s apartment.
“C.J., we were just…” Wally began.
“Don’t worry, I won’t keep you,” Mr. Jensen interjected. “I just wanted to get a look at the damage to your kitchen,” he explained, walking past Wally into his apartment.
They both turned around and followed Mr. Jensen back into the apartment.
Wally’s jaw dropped at the sight of the clean kitchen. One look at the sweet smile on Kali’s face answered all his unasked questions. “Thank you for cleaning up, Kali. You didn’t have to do that,” he said appreciatively.
“I didn’t mind. Really. After all, it’s my fault it happened in the first place,” Kali explained.
Mr. Jensen turned to face Wally and Kali. “This is about what I expected. The damage doesn’t look too bad here, Wally. I can have someone come by in a day or so to repair and repaint the damaged ceiling.
As for your apartment, Miss O’Malley,” Mr. Jensen continued. “I need to install all new piping in your kitchen and replace the living room carpet. It looks like it will take about a week or so to get it done. I’ll let you know when you can return to your apartment.”
Kali looked at Wally and then back at Mr. Jensen, “Mr. Jensen, why can’t I stay in my apartment? I’ll keep out of the way and I don’t mind a little noise and dust. All I need is a place to sleep, shower, and change. I’ll even eat all my meals out so that I won’t need to use the kitchen,” she suggested.
“No, I’m afraid that won’t be possible. The Central City Safety Ordinances do not allow tenants to have access to any area undergoing major renovation. It’s for your own protection. You can get whatever you need out of the apartment tonight, if you like.”
“Tonight?” Kali asked dumbfounded.
“Yes, the workers will be arriving first thing in the morning. It’s best to get these things taken care of as quickly as possible. Don’t you agree?” Mr. Jensen asked.
“I suppose so,” Kali replied doubtfully.
“Because the damage was caused by a rotted pipe, and not your fault,” Mr. Jensen explained, “the owner has decided to refund this entire month’s rent to you.” Mr. Jensen handed Kali a check.
Wally smiled excitedly, “Wow!” he said, “A full month’s rent to spend however I want! This is great!”
“Don’t get too excited there, Wally,” Mr. Jensen warned. “This deal doesn’t apply to you, only Kali.”
“What? You’re kidding, right?” Wally groaned, looking disappointed.
“Sorry, but your apartment is technically only being ‘repaired’, not ‘renovated’ AND you won’t have to vacate your apartment,” Mr. Jensen explained.
Wally nodded, “Okay, but don’t I at least get something for my trouble?” he complained, not really expecting anything.
Mr. Jensen smiled, “I’ll talk to the owner, and maybe I can get him to refund a week’s worth of rent to you for your trouble.”
Wally’s smile returned. I could buy a barrel of Biggie Fries at Hamburger Haven with this windfall, he thought.
Eight
“I’m sure you’ll really like this place,” Wally said, opening the entrance door to Pizza By the Pound Italian Restaurant.”
“Pizza by the Pound?” Kali asked with a puzzled look on her face.
“Yes, it’s a new restaurant that just opened last week,” Wally replied, smiling. “A friend told me it was “THE” place to go.”
Wally, dressed as his alter-ego Flash, had been supping regularly at ‘Pizza By the Pound’ since its Grand Opening celebration last week. Because of his frequent appearances there, the restaurant had already been nicknamed ‘Flash’s Diner’. Not only did the friendly restaurant workers adore Flash; many of the patrons often greeted their favorite super-hero with handshakes, kisses, questions, and requests for his autograph. This was the perfect place to initiate his plan, Wally thought.
A waitress, dressed in grey shorts and a pale blue t-shirt greeted Wally and Kali at their table. She wore her long blonde hair tied back off her face, in a ponytail. “Good Evening,” she said, handing Kali and Wally each a menu.
Wally recognizing the waitress from his previous visits, responded naturally, “Hi Sarah! How are you doing tonight?”
“I’m sorry, do I know you?” Sarah asked, hesitantly.
“Uh… no. Of course not. I mean, I’ve never been here before in my life. How could I know you?” Wally stammered nervously. “Do I look familiar to you?” he asked, wondering if she, in fact, knew he was Flash.
“No, it’s just that you know my name,” Sarah explained.
“Huh?” Wally’s gaze fell to the nametag pinned to her shirt. It read “Sarah M.’”
“Ohhh, this thing!” she said, looking embarrassed. Assuming Wally had read her name from the tag she was wearing, she pointed to her nametag. I forgot I even had this thing on. They just gave it to me this afternoon; I’m not used to wearing it yet.”
Wally smiled, “Well, if it makes you feel any better, my name is Wally!” He said enthusiastically.
“Uh, nice to meet you, Wally,” Sarah said nervously. “Can I get you both something to drink?” she asked.
“I’d like a root beer, please,” Kali answered, accepting a menu from Sarah. From the expression on her face, it was clear that Kali thought this whole exchange was amusing.
“Make that two,” Wally added.
“Okay then, I’ll be right back with your root beers,” Sarah said, slipping her order pad and pen into her pocket as she walked away.
“So Kali, the obvious question, ‘Do you go to Central City University?’” Wally asked, pointing to the ‘Central City University’ writing on her t-shirt.
Kali nodded, “Yes, this will be my first year at CCU. I’m very excited, but also a bit nervous. How about you?”
“Me? Go to CCU? Uh… no,” Wally stammered. He never felt comfortable answering questions about himself as ‘Wally’. After all, ‘Wally’ was little more than a disguise he put on to accomplish the kinds of things Flash couldn’t be seen doing; such as having root canal at the dentist or purchasing a roll of toilet paper at the local market. However, would ‘Wally’ attend classes at CCU? Wally wouldn’t even consider the possibility. No way! Wally or Flash, it didn’t matter. It was simply inconceivable that he could sit still long enough to earn a degree that would probably lead to a career requiring more years ofsitting still.
“I’m afraid I’ve never been much for books. I’m much better with my hands than my head,” Wally replied. What am I saying? Wally, you’re blowing it! he silently scolded himself. I have to get out of these clothes before I completely blow any chance I have with this girl.
Just as Sarah returned with the root beers, Wally took this opportunity to excuse himself from the table.
“I’ll be right back, Kali,” Wally said quietly before leaving the table and heading for the Men’s room.
Kali nodded and took a sip of root beer from her glass.
Nine
Kali looked around the restaurant as she sipped on her root beer. It was a cheery restaurant decorated with lovely Italian landscape paintings and flowering plants. There weren’t many other customers present, so Kali turned her attention out the window beside their table. She was pleased that Wally selected the corner table with a view over looking the lake. Although it was dark out, the lights from the restaurant cast their reflections upon the gentle ripples in the lake. Kali thought she saw a family of ducks floating in the distance.
“It’s FLASH!” she heard someone shout.
Kali turned to see what was causing all the excitement. To her surprise, there stood the same man she had seen earlier on the news station. He was much taller in person and his suit was a much deeper red than it appeared on TV.
Whoever this ‘Flash’ was, he certainly was welcomed here, Kali observed.
She watched as Flash strolled over to a couple at the table nearest the door. The elderly couple appeared to be in their late 70’s. They positively radiated with joy at the sight of this masked man. Flash politely accepted their invitation to sit with them and chatted with the couple as if he had known them for years.
Her waitress, Sarah, ran over to Flash and welcomed him with a big hug. Flash’s eyes sparkled as he flirtatiously winked at her.
Just then, a large man in a white chef’s uniform entered the room from the kitchen. Clearly, this is the chef of the restaurant, Kali surmised. Perhaps he will send this distraction on his way.
Kali watched with interest, as the chef approached the elderly couple’s table.
“Gino! Buona Sera! Good Evening!” Flash said, jumping to his feet and hugging the round man.
Kali was amazed at the reception this costumed man was receiving. She glanced at the men’s room door. Where is Wally? she thought, surely HE wouldn’t react this way to this clown.
There was no sign of Wally.
I wonder what is keeping him, she thought.
She turned her attention back to the chef and the man in the red costume.
“Flash! My boy! I was beginning to wonder if you were fasting! Look, you’ve got no meat on you! Let me fix you a nice big dish of pasta with special sauce!” he said, laughing.
“No, no, Gino,” Flash chuckled. “I’m fast but never fasting!” he said, patting Gino on the back. “Only ONE dish of pasta you offer me? You surprise me! I thought I was your best customer!”
Gino laughed again, “Perhaps ‘dish’ is not appropriate… come back to the kitchen and I’ll serve you a nice POT of pasta!”
“Now you’re talking, Gino!” Flash politely excused himself from the table and followed Gino into the kitchen.
Flash eats a POT of pasta? Kali thought to herself? That’s CAN’T be true.
Just then, Sarah approached Kali’s table. “Would you care for a refill on the root beer?” she asked.
“Sure, that would be great,” Kali answered, staring at the couple Flash had left behind. They were chatting away enthusiastically, obviously energized by their costumed friend’s brief visit at their table.
When Sarah returned to the table, Kali leaned forward, “Excuse me, can you tell me who this ‘Flash’ character is? Is he some kind of clown or children’s entertainer?” she asked.
Sarah laughed, “You must be new around here. Flash is the local superhero. He is the fastest man alive and uses his speed to protect the city and its citizens. We had a kitchen fire on our Grand Opening day, and Flash came to the rescue. He appeared out of nowhere and raced around the fire to extinguish it. Thank God he was in the neighborhood when it happened. Ever since then, he has an open invitation to dine here – anytime, at no charge. The word is spreading that he is often seen here and now we are attracting people who come here just to meet him. We all love him dearly.”
“Oh,” Kali said, digesting this new information. She hadn’t considered that a man would really dress in tights running around town saving people, but, then again, there were rumors about a Batman in Gotham City and a Superman in Metropolis. I suppose if that is true, then a Flash in Central City is just as likely, she thought.
As Sarah walked away, Flash emerged from the kitchen wiping his mouth with a napkin. He spotted Kali and walked over to her table.
‘Excuse me, miss,” he said kindly. “I’m sure we haven’t met. Allow me to introduce myself.” He slipped into Wally’s seat across the table. “My name is Flash. I am the local …”
“Yes, I’ve heard,” Kali said, interrupting his obvious attempt to flirt with her. “I am dining with someone and don’t want to be rude, but you are sitting in his seat.”
“Oh?” Flash covered his face in embarrassment.
Kali laughed and immediately felt sorry for him. Had she misunderstood his intentions? She wondered.
“Perhaps I should go,” Flash said uncomfortably.
“No… no!” Kali objected. She didn’t want to insult the local hero. After all, everyone else seemed to think this guy was so great; maybe she should give him a chance. After all, who knows… what if she needed to be rescued someday?
She knew she was kidding herself. It was just that there was something compelling about him. His charming and light-hearted demeanor was appealing and piqued her interest. Anyway, he certainly was entertaining and it wouldn’t be long until Wally returned.
“So, you’re the fastest man in the world?” Kali asked.
Flash looked directly at her. Without saying a word, he placed his elbows on the table before him and rested his head in his hands. A huge, self-assured grin spread across his face.
“If you’re so fast, why don’t you run down to the market and fetch me a newspaper. We’ll see just how fast you…? huh?” Kali stared at the newspaper Flash held out to her in his hand.
“That’s a joke, right? You already had that in your hand,” Kali said accusingly.
Flash laughed and stood up. “Exactly where do you think I could put a newspaper like that?”
Kali had to admit, the suit was skintight, and there were no apparent pockets. Not entirely convinced this wasn’t some sort of an illusionist’s trick, she reached out and pulled on his sleeve. Maybe it could stretch and he could hide the paper up there, she thought.
Flash giggled and stepped back.
“You’re ticklish?” she said, laughing.
“Please don’t tell anyone,” he whispered, leaning closer. “It’s not the kind of thing I’d like my arch enemies to know.”
Kali nodded, suppressing her own giggles.
“Well, I’d better go, Kali,” Flash said, grinning proudly from ear to ear. “It’s been nice meeting you, hope to see you again sometime,” he said, bowing and gently kissing the back of her hand.
There was something familiar about that, she thought, watching him stroll out the restaurant door.
Ten
Kali was still watching the front door, when Wally returned to his seat.
“Have you decided what you’d like to have?” Wally asked, drawing her attention away from the door.
“Oh!” Kali said, obviously startled to see Wally seated across the table from her again.
“Wally, you won’t believe who was just here! You JUST missed him,” Kali whispered, leaning in toward Wally.
“Why are you whispering?” Wally asked, pretending he hadn’t a clue as to whom she was referring.
“Oh. Yes. I suppose I don’t need to whisper,” Kali said, clearing her throat. “Remember that guy I told you about on the news? I thought he was some kind of clown or something. Well, it turns out that he is a Super Hero and he was JUST HERE!”
“Here? Who?” Wally said dying to hear what she thought of him.
“Flash!” she answered. “I mean, do you know who Flash is?”
Wally said nothing, folding his arms across his chest and leaned back. He was enjoying this.
“Flash is the fastest man in the world. I mean he is unbelievably fast! It’s incredible! I’ve never seen anything like it. I wonder why Uncle Marty never told me anything about him?”
“Uncle Marty?” Wally asked, leaning forward.
“Yes, I’m using his apartment while I attend school,” Kali explained.
“Wait a minute… ‘Apartment 4D Marty’… Marty O’Malley is your UNCLE?” Wally asked, in disbelief.
“Yes, he got married this past June and is sub-letting his apartment to me while I attend school. It works out very well actually,” Kali explained.
“Wow!” Wally couldn’t believe that Kali was Marty’s niece. Marty was only a few years older than Kali. How could he have a niece? he wondered.
“Did you know Marty?” Kali asked curiously.
“Yes, we were buddies! We hung out together; that is until he met Margo Tanner. I was Best Man at his wedding,” Wally replied. “So, you’re his niece! Hah! Say, I thought he was going to give the apartment up. I mean he didn’t need it anymore since they moved into their new place; a large old antique house I believe.”
Kali nodded, “Yes, that’s right, on the East side of town, but he couldn’t break the year’s lease on the apartment. Since they didn’t want the furniture nor need the apartment he decided to let me use it while I attend CCU. It’s great because the rent is much cheaper than anything else in town and it is only 10 minutes to the campus.”
“Yeah. That’s true.” Wally rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Say, how come I didn’t see you at the wedding?” Wally asked,
“What? Oh, I was there. Did you say you were the Best Man?” Kali asked doubtfully. “I remember the Best Man and he didn’t look like you, I mean his hair was much longer and… wait a minute! You better not be joshing me!” she warned, looking him square in the eyes. “I have a framed picture of the entire wedding party back at the apartment and don’t you think that I won’t check!”
“What? Me lie?” Wally gave her the most innocent look he could muster. “Would Sir Lancelot josh his fair maiden?” he winked at her and bowed his head.
A look of surprise spread across her face.
“What?” Wally suddenly felt uncomfortable.
“Are you two ready to order yet?” Sarah had appeared out of nowhere.
Wally glanced at Kali.
“Are there any specials today?” Kali asked.
“The Chef’s Special today is Pasta Picante; it is Penne pasta, grilled chicken, black beans, fresh tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and olive oil, topped with fresh mozzarella. I might add that it is a personal favorite of Flash’s,” Sarah announced, proudly.
“Sounds delicious. That’s what I’ll have, please,” Kali looked at Wally.
“I’m kind of ‘pasta-ed out’,” Wally said, without thinking. “How about a veal parm dish?”
“Would you like rice, mashed or baked potato with that?” Sarah asked, scribbling on the order pad.
“Baked please, I think I’ll just mash it myself,” he joked.
Sarah laughed, “It will be just a few moments. Would either of you care for a salad, soup or appetizer?”
Kali shook her head no. “I’d rather save my appetite for the main course, but feel free to go ahead, Wally,” Kali urged.
Wally shook his head, “No, thank you.” He didn’t want to stuff his face in front of her. Besides, the pasta meal he had in the kitchen was enough to hold him for now. She would never understand how much food he needed to consume to maintain his quick-acting metabolism.
Suddenly Wally felt a tickle in his nose. He had that funny feeling you get when you know you’re about to sneeze. He frantically searched his pockets for a tissue, knowing he didn’t have one, but hoping he’d find a decent substitute. Finding nothing of use, he grabbed the paper napkin on the table just in time. He sneezed three more times.
“Excuse me,” he said, as he quickly slipped away from the table and back into the Men’s Room. What’s wrong with me? he wondered. Am I allergic to something or just coming down with a cold?
Heading back to the table, he saw that the food had arrived while he was gone.
“Are you okay?” Kali asked, looking concerned.
“Yes, I’m fine. Just a little tickle in the nose,” he explained.
“Oh, okay. I was beginning to worry,” Kali said. “Glad it was nothing.”
He stabbed the veal on his plate with his fork and cut a small piece off. The food was absolutely cold. He made a face and scooped up a forkful of his potato. That was cold as well.
“Is your food cold too?” he asked annoyed.
“Well... a bit, but that’s okay. I don’t mind,” Kali replied.
“This is the first time I’ve had such cold food delivered to the table,” Wally said, thinking aloud. “Maybe I can get Sarah to warm these plates up. She must not have realized.” Wally began to look around the restaurant in search of their waitress.
“No, no, that’s okay, Wally. Really. It’s not a problem. Don’t get her in trouble; the food was warm when she brought it.”
“What? I was only gone a few minutes… That’s not possible,” Wally scratched his head.
“Actually, Wally you were gone for over 30 minutes. Are you sure you’re okay? You’re acting kind of funny,” Kali asked, with a puzzled look on her face.
“No, no. I’m fine. Perfectly fine,” Wally said, curtly. He was sure something strange was going on, but he was not about to let Kali know.
Eleven
As the evening wore on, Kali found herself wishing time would slow down so that the evening wouldn’t end. Wally was interesting, and fun. She could not understand why Uncle Marty never mentioned him, especially since they were such close friends. Or were they? She’d have to take a good look at that wedding photo! He seemed like such a great guy… Could it be that he already had a girlfriend? Or worse, was he married? Nah, that’s too hard to miss; his apartment clearly lacked that feminine touch.
“… and then Margo poured the rest of her strawberry milkshake down the back of Marty’s shirt!” Wally laughed.
Kali suddenly realized that she hadn’t been paying any attention to what Wally was saying. Good thing she had heard that story before, she thought, remembering the night her uncle told it to her. She quickly glanced at him to see if he had noticed, but Wally was laughing so hard he wouldn’t have noticed if she threw her milkshake down his shirt!
His laugh was contagious and she soon found herself laughing so hard she struggled to catch her breath.
“Can I get anything else for you this evening?” Sarah asked. She seemed to have an uncanny knack for suddenly appearing at their table unnoticed.
Wally and Kali finally calmed down enough to speak.
“No, I don’t think so; unless you’d care for something else, Kali?” Wally asked, gently.
“No thank you. I think I’ve had enough,” Kali replied, smiling at Sarah.
“Thank you for coming, I do hope you come again soon,” Sarah said, handing the check to Wally.
Wally smiled and handed Sarah enough money to cover the check with a generous tip. “Thank you for the excellent service and please give my compliments to the chef.”
Sarah nodded and disappeared into the kitchen.
They headed out of the restaurant and walked side-by-side down the street toward their apartment house.
“Kali, do you have a place to stay tonight?” Wally asked sounding concerned.
The memory of her soggy living room leapt to mind. She hadn’t thought about it, but the only place she had to go was her Uncle’s place. She couldn’t afford a hotel room and she didn’t know anyone else in town. A quick glance at her watch told her it was 11:45 pm. It was late already and she still had to stop at the apartment to get some of her things.
“You’re not thinking about going to Marty and Margo’s tonight are you?” Wally asked as if reading her mind.
Kali blushed, “Well, I …” Kali hesitated, not sure what to say. All she knew was that she had no choice in the matter. At least Marty and Margo would understand. This was something she could be sure.
“Listen, why don’t you stay at my place tonight?” Wally suggested. “You can always head over to their place tomorrow. I’ll take you, if you like. This way you won’t have to wake them up.”
It sounded reasonable, Kali thought, but she wasn’t comfortable with sleeping over Wally’s the first day she met him. Sure, he seemed nice, gentle, and was certainly good-looking, but she wasn’t ‘that kind of girl’.
Wally smiled, “You don’t have to say anything. I understand perfectly. At least let me give you a lift over there. I’d feel better knowing you got there safely.”
“Okay, Lancelot. I need to stop at my apartment for some stuff first.” Kali sighed with relief. This guy was too good to be true.
It was a short walk to their apartment house; and in no time, they were inside Kali’s apartment. The living room carpet seemed soggier than before and they had to be careful not to slip. The room had this awful mildewed smell; it was a mixture of mildew, wet carpet, and who knows what else.
“You can stay here, I’ll get my stuff from the bedroom,” Kali instructed.
Kali tiptoed across the living room heading towards the bedroom. What a relief that the water had not reached the bedroom, Kali thought. She immediately began tossing assorted clothing and other necessities into a suitcase.
As she surveyed her closet for whatever else she would need, her eyes fell on her photograph album, which reminded her of the framed wedding photo on the nightstand beside her bed. She tossed the photo album into her suitcase and snatched the photo off her nightstand. Quickly, she studied the photo, searching for the familiar face in the crowd she almost expected not to see. Nevertheless, there he was, plain as day. Standing right beside her Uncle Marty, was a longhaired version of the man in the next room. His wavy red hair spilled onto his forehead, covering most of his face and cascaded loosely down to his shoulders. She would never have recognized him except for that familiar silly smile; he was grinning proudly from ear to ear. Well, I guess he was telling the truth, she said, as she tossed the photo into her suitcase. She had a nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right with that photo; it must just be his long hair, she reasoned. After all, the man looks like a misplaced ’60’s hippie.
It took two over-stuffed suitcases to hold everything she thought she’d need for the time she’d have to stay out of her apartment. Now that the suitcases were packed, they were too heavy to lift. She pulled them toward the living room, but as she neared the soggy carpet, she grew concerned. I wonder if the water from the carpet will leak into the suitcases if I put them down, she thought. I don’t know how waterproof these old suitcases are and they’re too heavy for me to carry all the way to the door.
“Wally?” Kali called into the living room. “Can you come here, please? I need your help.”
Kali looked around her room, trying to make sure she didn’t forget anything.
“Wally?” Kali repeated. What’s keeping him? she wondered.
Curious, she returned to the living room without her suitcases.
Lying on the couch, holding a box of tissues in one hand and a handful of tissues under his nose with the other; Wally looked miserable. His eyes were watery, red and puffy, his face was pale and blotchy and he was coughing and sneezing into the tissues.
Kali was speechless. She had never seen such a thing as this happen to anyone. Wally looked like he had come down with a full-blown case of the flu in 10 minutes. She rushed to him and felt his forehead. He was very warm. She knew she had to get him down to his own apartment.
“Can you get up?” she asked, pulling him onto his feet.
He was dead weight. How was that possible? He wasn’t asleep.
She looked at him; he had an odd expression on his face. He looked almost confused. If she didn’t know better, she’d say he looked shocked, even.
Kali pulled one of his arms over her shoulder and managed to help Wally make his way to the entrance of her apartment. He seemed fully aware of what was going on; but he was of little, if any, help. She felt like she was trying to help an infirm, elderly man to walk.
As they made their way to the elevator, Wally seemed to gain some strength and was able to bear his own weight. By the time the elevator reached his floor, his face and eyes had cleared up and his nose had stopped running. Kali was amazed at the miraculous recovery. Within those few moments, Wally’s health had completely returned to normal.
“Kali,” Wally said, quietly. “Thank you.”
Twelve
The first thing Wally noticed was that his head hurt. He had no idea what time it was and as opened his eyes to find out, he was surprised to find that he was lying in bed, dressed in his pajamas. The clock read 1:30. Judging from the dark sky out his bedroom window, Wally surmised that it was still late in the evening.
He looked around his room, trying to remember what happened. He remembered the dinner with Kali and walking with her to her apartment… But that was it. Wally couldn’t remember a thing past that. Was he able to help her get to Marty’s house? he wondered. He wished he could remember coming home and changing his clothes. He looked down at the pajamas he was wearing, hoping for a clue that would jog his memory. Nothing came.
Wally wished he had some aspirin in the house for his headache. He climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up and brush his teeth. As he wiped his face on the towel in the bathroom, he heard sounds coming from the other room. It must be C.J. cleaning up the kitchen ceiling, he concluded, removing his pajamas and turning the shower on.
The water pounding rhythmically on his back, felt soooo good, he didn’t want to get out of the shower. He stood there with his eyes closed and just let the water wash over his body. His mind wandered back to the restaurant with Kali. He could still see her sitting across the table at the restaurant. Everything about her was amazing: her smile, her laugh, and especially those hypnotic blue eyes. He wished he could remember how it all ended, and wondered if he had gotten a kiss in the end. What a bummer, not to remember such a thing, he thought. Why couldn’t he remember anything?
He shook his head as if to clear his mind, but it didn’t help. In fact, his headache seemed to worsen and he felt a wave of dizziness come over him. He grabbed the shower curtain for support, but ended up ripping the shower curtain off the rod, as he lost his balance and fell in the tub.
“Oh just great!” he said aloud, lying there with the torn shower curtain over his head. He could hear the water raining down on top of him and onto the floor.
“Are you okay?” called a voice from the other side of the bathroom door.
“Yeah, I’ll be just fine,” Wally yelled back, pulling the curtain off his head. Now the water was raining on the top of his head and dripping down his face.
“Want some breakfast?” the voice asked.
Breakfast? Since when did C.J. make breakfast for his tenants? “Uh… sure, and I could use a couple of aspirin. Have you got any I can borrow?” Wally asked, expecting that C.J. would have some.
“Let me run out and pick some up. I’ll be right back with food and aspirin. Do you need anything else? Are you sure you’re okay?” the voice repeated.
C.J.’s voice sounded funny, Wally thought. It must be the shower. “I’m okay, but the shower curtain isn’t doing so good.”
Wally heard giggling. “C.J.?”
Silence.
Wally shrugged. He must have gone down for some aspirin, he thought.
Wally slowly reached up to turn off the shower. He wished his headache would just go away! He threw the torn shower curtain aside and reached for a towel to dry himself off. Slowly, he rose from the tub and stepped out, mindful not to step onto the shower curtain and risk another fall. He wrapped the towel around his waist and opened the bathroom door just in time to see the door to his apartment swing open and Kali walk in. She was carrying several packages and completely unaware of Wally’s presence and headed directly into the kitchen.
What is Kali doing here? What happened last night? Wally wondered. Why can’t I remember anything?
He decided that he needed to get dressed, and fast! Going at his fastest super-speed, he raced into his bedroom, threw on some clothes, and quickly combed his hair. Now ready to see Kali, he returned to normal speed and opened his bedroom door.
He was anxious to see Kali again and find out what happened last night; but first, he REALLY wanted to take an ASPIRIN!
“Hey, Kali!” Wally said, smiling broadly as he walked into the kitchen.
Kali was putting away some groceries she had purchased for him at the store. A look of relief washed over her face as she looked up from what she was doing.
“I’m so glad you’re feeling better, Wally,” Kali said warmly. “Why don’t you sit at the table and I’ll dish out some nice chicken soup I picked up? My mom always said it’s the cure for all ailments.”
Wally nodded and obediently slid into a seat at the table. He had the perfect seat to watch her. He had only met her yesterday and already he felt like he’d known her a lifetime. “Need any help?” he asked knowing she wouldn’t.
Kali turned and smiled at him, “It’s okay Lancelot, I can handle this one,” she said teasingly.
Wally laughed; he liked this.
Kali stirred the pot of soup as it warmed on the stove and suddenly she began moving faster and faster. In a blink of an eye, she was seated in front of him with two bowls of soup on the table. A second later, her bowl was empty and she was back at the stove for seconds.
Wally felt like he was moving in slow motion. He stared at the spoon in his hand and tried to bring it closer to his mouth, but it barely moved. It would take 3 hours to get a spoonful at this speed, he realized. He tried moving faster, but it didn’t help.
He looked up at Kali. In the time it took for him to dip his spoon into the soup, Kali had finished her soup, washed her dish, and returned to her seat across the table from him. She had this odd expression on her face.
Wally looked sadly into Kali’s sweet face, ‘How are you doing this?’ he asked. She didn’t seem to hear him; she took his spoon from him and started pouring spoonfuls of soup into his mouth one right after another. What was she doing, trying to drown him? he wondered. He started choking and she quickly stopped.
This makes no sense, Wally thought as he glanced at the clock in the kitchen. It had gone haywire! The minute hand was moving much too quickly and if it were accurate, minutes were passing as quickly as seconds were. Wally had slipped into a super-slow time warp! Normal time was super-speeding by!
Thirteen
“Are you okay?” Kali asked Wally repeatedly, rubbing and patting him on his back. It was all she could think to do. Finally, he stopped gagging. He had this confused and sad expression on his face. It was only a small spoonful of soup! she thought. Why can’t he swallow? What’s wrong with him?
She felt his forehead. It was only slightly warm, if anything. Better take his temperature, she thought. “I’ll be right back,” she said as she left him to go look for a thermometer in his medicine cabinet.
As she walked into the bathroom, she was surprised to find the shower curtain lying on the floor beside the tub. It had been torn from the curtain rod. How odd, she thought. The room was otherwise neat and clean. She opened the medicine cabinet and looked inside.
On the top shelf was a disposable razor, can of shaving cream and after-shave lotion. Curious, she uncapped the after-shave to have a sniff. Mmmm, this smells nice! she thought and recapped the bottle. Moving onto the second shelf, she saw a packet of cinnamon-flavored waxed dental floss and mint-flavored tarter control, extra-whitener mint gel toothpaste. She smiled at his selection of flavors for his dental care products. On the bottom shelf, there was a plastic container of grape flavored mouthwash, two unwrapped bars of soap, and a tube of Chap Stick.
That’s odd, Kali thought. Not only were there no prescription medicines, band-aids, or antiseptics, but there was no thermometer either. Didn’t this guy ever get sick or injured? Everyone has that kind of stuff in their medicine cabinet! Maybe he had a medical kit or something beneath the sink, she thought.
Bending down, she opened the vanity door beneath the sink. There she saw a trash container, assortment of cleansers, a roll of paper towels, and a toilet plunger. He has a toilet plunger, but no thermometer?
She closed the door and looked around to make sure she wasn’t missing anything. No bathroom closet, nothing else in here, she confirmed. Maybe he kept this kind of thing in his bedroom? Perhaps it is handier by his bed, she reasoned. After all, if you don’t feel well and live alone it would be perfectly reasonable to keep that kind of thing right beside the bed.
She walked into the bedroom and looked around. The room was neat and clean. There was nothing lying on the dresser or night table. As she approached the night table, she felt a pang of uneasiness. It was one thing to go through the man’s medicine cabinet, but going through the bedroom drawers felt a little invasive.
The night table drawer was only inches away, and this was a matter of life and death, she reasoned. But, what good is privacy to a sick man? She decided anything she could do to help him was worth some minor infraction of privacy. Besides, what could she possibly find that he would object to; a girlie magazine?
Bending down, she pulled open the night table drawer, promising herself not to look at anything that didn’t look like a thermometer. Everything slid forward as she pulled the drawer. There wasn’t much in there to look at: an address book, pad and pencil, a few comic books? Never mind, she said, brushing them aside. Farther inside was a slim ‘pen’ flashlight and a small packet of tissues. There was no thermometer, nor medical kit.
She stood up and looked around the room again. Would he keep a medical kit in his dresser drawers or bedroom closet? she wondered.
One of the sliding mirrored doors to the closet was slightly open. Curious, she opened the door and looked inside. There were shoeboxes, yearbooks, and photo albums neatly stacked atop of one and other on the shelves above his hanging clothes. There was no sign of a medical kit.
She was about to slide the door closed when something caught her eye. The top photo album was not neatly in line with the others, as though it had been recently viewed and hurriedly tossed back onto the pile. She reached up and pulled it off the pile. Kali was curious to see what kinds of photos Wally took. He had such beautiful landscapes hanging in his apartment, could he be an amateur photographer?
She opened the book to the first page. It wasn’t a photo album at all, but rather, a scrap book. There were several magazine and newspaper articles clipped and taped to the pages in this book. As she turned the pages, she was amazed to find that every one of these articles were about Flash. It contained everything Flash had done in the community. Clipping after clipping showed pictures of people he had saved and criminals he caught. One clipping, in particular, caught her eye. It was a caustic letter printed in the opinion section of the local paper. The writer had complained that Flash was nothing more than a publicity seeker and that his appearing in television commercials proved it. Curious who would write such a scathing letter to the paper, she glanced at the author’s name, ‘Sarah Monocello’.
