31_days | [September 29, 2008] [Detective Conan/Case Closed] Fear of Lightning

Title: Fear of Lightning
Day/Theme: Sept. 29: Somewhat Damaged
Series: Detective Conan/Case Closed
Character/Pairing: Shinichi
Rating: PG/K+

-o-

Thunder follows lighting. It was a simple fact. Light travels faster than sound, and so lighting came first, thunder came second. Right? Except it wasn’t. Because Shinichi had experienced firsthand that in certain situations, thunder came first.

Like now, for instance.

Shinichi could see white stripes invading the corners of his vision. And there’s the lightning, he thought triumphantly, trying to chuckle. A gasping sound came out of his mouth, and he stopped trying to force laughter to come.

He saw a flash of red – looking down, Shinichi was surprised to see the blood dripping down his small arm, seeping through his coat.

That solves that mystery, he thought, feeling slightly woozy. Gunshots travel faster than blackouts. Or white-outs, even. Except he hadn’t actually whited out yet. Those annoying stripes at the corners of his vision were more persistent, though.

At least you know the gunshot is coming, Shinichi found himself thinking. If you’re struck by lightning, you don’t get a fair warning until afterwards, when the thunder sounds. With a gunshot, the sound accompanies the bullet. You might have the same chance of dodging a bullet that you have dodging a lightning bolt…but it’s slightly fairer, at least.

A hollow laughter ringing through the area – Shinichi whirled, trying to find the source, but ending up falling on his butt. His shoulder throbbed dully.

Gunshots didn’t scare him. Not really. This wasn’t the first time he’d been shot. The thing he didn’t like was the uncertainty…would he live? Would he die? If he slipped into unconsciousness…did he have a chance in hell that anyone would find him?

A true form of Astraphobia then? Or was that fear of Thunderstorms? Perhaps he really did have Hoplophobia – fear of firearms. Or Anatidaephobia? Or Autophobia?

Too clinical, he decided then, shaking his head. I’ve been around Haibara for too long.

Ultimately, he decided, it’s an aversion to the lightning. I don’t mind the thunder at all.

Except that there couldn’t be thunder without lightning. Thunder always accompanied lightning. In essence, the thunder was the lightning, just…slower.

Thunder accompanies lightning like gunshots accompany guns. Like Peanut butter accompanies jelly. Like corpses accompany me. He chuckled again, making that gasping sound. Not Autophobia after all, then; just somewhat damaged wishful thinking.

A sickening thud from behind him – he whirled again, blinking in surprise. There was Vodka. In his hurry to leave the smoke-filled room, he’d run into something.

He’s gonna feel that in the morning. Shinichi backed away, trying to focus. Get out of smoky room. Find Hattori. Re-group – re-plan.

He coughed, noting the thickness of the smoke. Had something caught fire? He wasn’t sure anymore…

And then he was scrambling deeper into the stuff, catching the glimpse of an unmistakable long-haired silhouette.

Like creepy, soulless sociopaths accompany dead shrunken detectives…

He shook the traitorous thought from his head. That was one pair that he didn’t want to match up. No matter how ‘somewhat damaged’ he was.

-o-

A U T H O R S N O T E

This was supposed to be the story on the Twenty-first. (Theme: Loves Thunder, Hates Lightning) but…I missed the day. ^^;

So I improvised, making it fit into today’s theme instead!

[BTW, this story fits in riiiiight before ‘True Love’s Folly.’ In case you wondered.]

Note: Astraphobia = fear of thunder and lightning.

Hoplophobia = fear of firearms.

Autophobia = fear of being alone.

And the kicker, folks!

Anatidaephobia = fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you.