Wasted potential

Blinking against the harsh light, I found myself lying in a bed that felt unfamiliar. Panic set in as I scanned the room, searching for any semblance of recognition. But it wasn't my room; it wasn't my life.

Images and memories that weren't mine flooded my mind. This body was heaving.

I quickly raced to a mirror and saw my own reflection, or a new reflection, I guess.

"What the actual fuck?"

I looked at my short but light blond hair and gray-colored eyes.

I recognize this face; it's that one guy from Flash, isn't it?

"Shit, what was his name again?"

I looked around the small and dirty 1-bedroom apartment, if you could even call it that. The walls were filled with cracks; the signs of aging were apparent; there were bullet holes in the ceiling and stains on the floors.

"Just gets better and better, doesn't it?"

I finally found his wallet in an old pair of jeans, only to find 5 dollars, a half-opened condom, and his ID.

Tony Woodward

born in 1989. As I read the ID, I felt my heart pounding.

I raced to a small, cracked window in the corner of the apartment in the hope of getting a better sense of my surroundings. Only to find huge skyscrapers in the distance. I stumbled back and sat on the weirdly crunchy bed.

Central City

It's real. I am actually in the arrow-verse, my life my friends are all gone. I can't even remember my own name. I sat on the bed, looming over the future.

A sense of urgency gripped me as I fumbled through Tony's belongings, searching for clues about this new reality.

The bits and pieces of his life began to assemble like a fragmented puzzle. As I stumbled through the apartment, the weight of a tumultuous history pressed on me.

 The air hung heavy with a musty scent, and a dim glow from a flickering bulb revealed a space filled with shadows and echoes of a life lived on the fringes.

The living room, cluttered with remnants of the past, felt like a museum of memories left untouched. Forgotten newspapers and worn-out furniture painted a picture of a man haunted by his own history.

As I navigated through the cramped quarters, the air seemed to carry the smell of mildew

The kitchen, a confined space with barely enough room to maneuver, told tales of meals cooked in solitude and the emptiness that lingered in the wake of Tony's solitary existence. Dirty dishes piled up, a testament to the neglect that had settled into the very fibers of the apartment.

Photographs on the walls told stories of a family fractured by abuse, and the absence of a mother left a void that echoed through my mind.

Dread settled in my chest as I realized the enormity of my situation. I wasn't me; I was Tony, a person with a past I never lived and a future I now had to navigate.

"I have to get out here."

I grabbed a leather jacket on the small dining room chair and booked it.

I heard the wails of my new neighbor, probably having sex or getting beat. I raced down the old building stairs and took a step into the world that I now call home.

I need to find out the date and time.

A block away from my apartment, I found a newsstand. The man who I assumed owned it looked at me with a dirty look.

YOU GONNA BUY SOMETHING OR TRY TO ROB ME AGAIN. The old man said, damnit, Tony is a real asshole, huh?

I put my hand up in a surrendering manner

"I'm not here to rob you. I'm just going to buy paper." The old man looked at me with confusion. "Five dollars." I looked at the price tag on the papers and scowled.

"The price says two-fifty."

With a smug smile planted on his face, the old man tried to look imposing but failed miserably.

"Your lucky. I don't call the cops on you. You damn thug, five dollars. Take it or leave it."

I sighed and opened my wallet, taking out the last of my money.

*Parting is such sweet sorrow.*

I gave him the money, and he soon lost interest in me and made a waving motion with his hand.

I picked up the news paper with raspy attention, reading the words as if my life depended on them.

January 2, 2014, as I read the date, my mind was processing the information. If my memories are right, then the particle accelerator goes off in 5 days, on January 7. Alright, this is good. I still have time to make sure nothing changes until then. Which means that in order to get my powers, I need to fall into molten steel.

FUCK

That's not going to be fun. I threw away the newspaper and walked on the crowded sidewalk.

As I navigated the streets, I became aware of the peculiar looks of passersby. In their eyes, I was Tony—a figure with a reputation and a past. as much as I was not looking forward to getting dumped into steel.

I needed my power to protect myself and survive. Luckily, central city is peaceful besides the whole meta thing, so I should be safe for awhile.

As I walked the busy streets, I saw people going on with their days. My walk led me to Jitters, a familiar name resonating from the memories I had inherited.

Entering the coffee shop, I felt a mix of belonging and alienation. The aroma of coffee filled the air, and the low hum of conversation surrounded me.

I ordered a plain black coffee, and I sat down on the comfortable chair, embracing my surroundings. It seems Iris isn't working right now, which is good; it would be bad to encounter her this early.

I thought about what I had to do even though I am I very minor character in the scheme of things I need to be present at the right time in order for Barry to learn the super sonic punch which means I have to follow everything down to a tee.

In my eyes, I feel for Tony. His father was an abusive ass who tormented him throughout his childhood, so in turn, he did the same to others.

He's mother Abandoned him when he was younger, leaving him that prick of a father. As I sat there, absorbing the aroma of the coffee, While thinking about my new life, I reflected on the mistakes he's made throughout his life and the future he would have had if I hadn't been brought here.

He's the textbook definition of wasted potential.

his athleticism and strength made him perfect for the power he possessed but he let simple greed blind him

Well, it's alright,because now I am in the driver's seat and I won't live my life like you.

I'll be better, stronger, and smarter. With the knowledge I have, I can become someone who goes from villain to hero With "the old bad guy sees the error of his ways, renounces evil, and turns into a good guy troupe.

" I refuse to have a crappy life and to live another second in that breeding ground for STDS they call an apartment.

I made my way out of jitters as the sun began to set on the horizon. I went into my apartment and immediately began cleaning. If I had to stay here, I sure as hell wouldn't live like a pig.

The dirt under my fingernails and the cramped space around me became tangible reminders of the challenges that had shaped him. As I sought to rewrite the narrative of this troubled life, the apartment itself became a canvas for transformation, a space where the shadows could be dispelled, and the echoes of the past could be replaced with the promise of something new.

Amid the cramped quarters and the dirt that clung to the walls, I found the determination to turn this neglected space into a symbol of redemption, a reflection of the changes that would soon ripple through the steel and shadows of Tony's world

The hours seemed to speed by until I finally finished. I slept on the bed, loving the smell of the freshly cleaned sheets.

In the days that followed my first venture into the city, a sense of urgency settled over me. The specter of the impending particle accelerator explosion loomed, a pivotal event that would alter the course of Central City's history. In the whirlwind of my new life as Tony, I knew that time was of the essence.