The Harder They Fall

The green slime flings out of the sloshy torso of a swamp creature, towering over the buildings as it terrorizes the burning city. The monstrosity roars a deep, curdled cry, swinging its heavy arm towards a man flying in the air.

Victor dodges the monster’s punch, soaring above the swamp creature. He shoots lasers out of his eyes, which only seems to aggravate the swamp monster. It looks above him with angry eyes and lifts its massive hand. Victor swoops under and shoots lasers into its torso as he flies by. A grimy ball of gloop rains down on Victor, sending him hurling towards the earth.

He tries pushing the viscous slime off his body as he crashes down. Suddenly ice begins forming beneath Victor.

Barry shoots a beam of ice out of his hands, creating a frozen ramp that catches Victor. Victor lands on the ramp and is shot back into the sky. He pulls the last of the swamp monster’s slime off his body and is released. Victor flies down to meet Barry.

“This ain’t a joke, Barry,” Victor says as he watches the swamp creature loom over the city. “This guy’s one tough cookie.”

“It’s no use,” Barry confesses. “That thing is just too big.”

“No, he’s not,” Victor corrects him. He points his finger sternly at Barry. “Nothing is too big for you to take on. Listen, sport. I know you haven’t—look out!” A giant slime barrels towards them. Barry tries running away by the slime crashes on him. Victor flies above the glooped Barry and shoots lasers until the slime disintegrates, enough for Barry to break free.

“Listen, sport,” Victor continues. “We’re all this city’s got. We ain’t got time to wonder if we’re enough to stop this monster. We are. Let’s act like it.” Victor soars back in the air and fires laser into the face of the swamp monster.

Barry watches Victor fight confidently, seemingly reading every move the swamp monster makes. Barry takes a quick, sharp breath and creates a bridge of ice that propels him forward towards the monster.

The swamp monster thrusts its grimy fist towards Victor, who dodges the incoming attack, and the monster punches a building. Victor backs himself against the building unknowingly and shoots lasers into the monster. From above, the building begins breaking off. A chunk of it crumbles and come crashing down over Victor, who doesn’t see it.

“Victor! Above you!” Barry reaches his hand out to warn Victor, but Victor looks up only in time to see the block of debris collapse on him. The chunk of building explodes into a dirty cloud as it lands below. Barry reaches the crash site and looks for Victor.

Barry pulls a rock of debris and finds Victor buried in the mess. His face is cut and dirtied and he moves slowly.

“Vic, can you move?” Barry asks worriedly.

“I’m alright, sport, I… I can’t lift this darn thing off me.” Victor pushes with all his might, and the rocks begin lifting. The swamp monster roars after spotting them and takes a step towards Barry and Victor.

Barry helps lift the debris off Victor when Victor grabs Barry by the wrist.

“I’ll be fine,” he comforts Barry. “Don’t worry about me and go stop this thing.”

“I can’t. Not without you.”

“Yes, you can. Nothing is too big for you to take on. Not even him. Act like it.” The bellowing roars follows Victor’s inspiration as a giant ball of slime is hurled towards Barry.

Barry sweeps away from the slimy meteor and creates an icy pathway in the sky that he slides on. He circles around the swamp monster, which spins around trying to track down Barry. Barry casts beams of ice into the monster’s feet. Her circles round and round until he’s frozen the monster’s feet in place. The monster tries to take a step but it can’t budge his foot free. It roars and spots Barry next to a building. It lunges its fist straight at Barry. Barry shoots of beam of ice and slides away, narrowly missing the slimy hand; but the monster punches a building, breaking a massive whole in front of the monster and creating an enormous piece of debris. Barry casts the ice in front of him and shoots a ramp upwards, sending him to the other side of the building. He creates a platform and stands against the falling building.

With every ounce of power, Barry pushes against the building, grunting in pain. The broken piece of the building begins pushing forward. It breaks off and topples down towards the swamp monster. The swamp monster tries to step back but the ice has trapped him in place. The building topples onto the monster and buries him.

A billowing cloud of dust and debris explodes from the remains of the swamp monster. Barry examines the destruction, making sure the monster is dead, and then hurries to where Victor is. Victor and Barry lift the chunk of debris that’s pinned him down and free him. Victor limps upright and wraps his arm around Barry for support.

“Attaboy, sport,” Victor pats Barry on the chest. “Act like nothing’s too big and you’ll be just fine.” Barry smiles.