DC: Zoom

"Jason!" Harper's scream cut through the storm as the lightning struck.

Rain hammered against her skin as she sprinted toward the shed, her feet splashing through the mud. The cold bit at her, her clothes clinging to her body, but she didn't slow. She shoved the door open, her breath catching in her throat.

Jason lay sprawled on the floor, unmoving. Shattered glass glistened around him, chemicals bleeding into the wood, their neon colors staining his clothes.

Her knees hit the ground hard. Her hands hovered over him, trembling.

"Hunter!" Her voice cracked as she turned toward the house. "Call 911!"

The world blurred at the edges. The pounding of rain, the distant crackle of thunder—it all faded beneath the deafening silence of her son's still chest.

She leaned in, ear pressed against him. No movement. No heartbeat.

Her breath hitched.

"Jason, no," she whispered, pressing her hands to his chest. She pushed down, counting, willing his heart to start again. "Come on, baby, breathe!"

Tears mixed with the rain streaking down her face. She kept pushing, her hands shaking, her sobs choking her.

A firm grip pulled her back. Hunter. She thrashed against him, but he held her tight as paramedics flooded the shed.

A defibrillator whined. A voice shouted, "Clear!"

Three months later.

Jason's eyelids fluttered, the world around him hazy, unfocused. A dull beeping filled the silence, rhythmic and steady. His head shifted slightly to the left, the motion slow, heavy—like he was moving through water.

His gaze landed on a familiar figure. His mother. Her face was pale, eyes sunken, dark circles smudged beneath them. Strands of hair clung to her forehead, and her fingers rested lightly over his hand, unmoving.

Jason gave the faintest squeeze.

Her breath hitched. In an instant, her eyes snapped open, wide and glistening.

"Jason… my baby," she breathed, voice cracking as her fingers tightened over his.

He parted his lips, but the first attempt at speaking came out as nothing but air. His throat burned. He swallowed hard, forcing words through the fog in his mind.

"…Mom?" His voice was barely above a whisper. "Where… am I?"

"You're at the hospital, honey," she said, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes. Relief,joy—everything she'd been holding in poured out at once.

With a shaky hand, she cupped Jason's cheek, her touch warm, careful, as if afraid he might disappear.

Nearby, a nurse who had been checking the IV bag froze mid-motion. Her eyes widened before she spun on her heel, rushing toward the door.

"Doctor!" she called out. "The patient is awake!"

Not long after, the doctor strode in, his expression a mix of disbelief and admiration.

"It's a miracle you're still alive," he said, glancing at Jason's chart. "Your heart stopped multiple times… but somehow, you pulled through."

He paused, studying Jason with quiet amazement. "What's even more incredible is how fast you're healing—faster than we ever expected."

The doctor set the chart down, offering a reassuring nod. "We'll keep you here for a few more days for observation, but overall, kid—you're going to be just fine."

Moments later, the door burst open. Jason's father rushed in, his younger sister trailing close behind.

As soon as the doctor stepped out, they surrounded Jason, their relief evident in the tight hugs and tearful smiles. They spent the entire day by his side, never once letting go.

After what felt like an eternity in the hospital, Jason was finally discharged. His mother handed him a fresh set of clothes, and with a soft smile, led him out of the sterile, white halls and into the world outside.

The car hummed steadily along the road, the sun casting warm rays through the window. Jason leaned his head against the cool glass, his eyes tracing the flight of birds in the sky. Their wings cut through the air effortlessly, a peaceful rhythm in the midst of everything.

Then—

A strange sensation.

The birds didn't stop—they just slowed, their wings beating in heavy, deliberate motions, as if the air itself had thickened. The trees swayed more slowly, the leaves drifting lazily in the breeze. The sound of the world—once sharp and clear—felt muffled, as if time itself had eased into a crawl.

Jason's pulse quickened. He blinked, trying to make sense of it, but before he could, everything snapped back to normal. The birds flapped at their usual pace, the trees moved with the breeze, and the world resumed its steady rhythm.

He exhaled slowly, shaking his head.

It's nothing, Jason thought. Just my mind playing tricks.

The car soon rolled to a stop in the driveway of their home. Jason stretched, the ache in his body a reminder of the long time spent in the hospital. He exhaled deeply, a wave of relief washing over him. Finally, I'm home.

"Alright, big man," his mother said, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "You've missed three months of school, but lucky for you, all you need to do is take a test. And we both know you'll pass it. So… how about we head out tonight?"

"Really?" Jason asked, his voice tinged with excitement. "Where to?"

He just wanted to move—his body had been confined to a hospital bed for three months.

She tapped her finger against her cheek, thinking for a moment. "How about we head out for your favorite pizza?"

He nodded eagerly, a sense of excitement bubbling in his chest. Later, when his dad finally walked through the door, the family piled into the car. Laughter filled the air as they made their way to the pizza place, the familiar sights and sounds of home wrapping around Jason like a warm blanket.

But deep down, something lingered—an unsettling feeling, a quiet tug in the back of his mind. Little did Jason know, the calm wouldn't last. Soon, everything he thought he knew would come crashing down.