Imagination Is Everything

If You Stay

"Ammo! We need your help!"

Someone had barged into my house, screaming for help. I was preoccupied in my study when I had heard the screaming from downstairs. As soon as I heard the faint whipping of hair against the wind, the rapid breathing and the constant pleas for the near unconscious figure that laid limp in her arms.

"What happ-" I had started to ask before I finally made my way around the corner of the hallway into the living room and saw the damage that had been done.

"What the bloody hell happened?"

Aspen, the Keeper of Agony, was on the very verge of conking out completely in Seraphina's arms. "Where can I put her down?" Sera asked, panicked. "I can't touch her for long. If she starts spewing ooze, it will harm me." "Put 'er down 'ere," I ushered her to the couch, quickly arranging the pillows to make it comfortable for her.

"She's heating up. Quick. Go grab a wet towel for me," I ordered Sera. "There's a clean one in the kitchen. Go straight down the hallway and make a left at the staircase." She obediently nodded her head and headed to the kitchen. I placed a hand on Aspen's forehead, feeling it get hotter and hotter with every passing minute.

Seraphina finally came back with the wet towel, as promised, and handed it over to me, a worried expression on her face as she watched as I tended to her opposite.

I placed the wet cloth on her and grabbed a nearby blanket to cover her with. She was having a major fever. It was like an on and off thing. One minute she's too cold, and one minute she's too hot. So it's like she's falling in and out of fevers every few minutes. And unless she shows any major signs of it getting too serious, like for example; nosebleeds, vigorous shivering, sleepwalking or her spitting out blood, this was good for now.

"What happened? How did you find her like this?" I turned to Sera with a very stern expression. Because it's not normal to see the Angel of Pleasure and the Keeper of Agony together or in the same place, let alone helping one another.

"I was flying around on patrol again. I'd passed by this place in San Diego where there was this carnival of some sort. I stopped to fly around a bit. But when I saw Aspen on the ground around the outskirts of the carnival, I immediately flew over here."

She took a seat on the armrest of the couch, folding her hands neatly on her lap. "I really can't imagine who'd try to do this to Aspen," she frowned, looking me in the eyes, and hers were filled to the brim with tears. "I-I've never seen anything like that. Green ooze was everywhere. But they all disappeared as soon as I neared her."

I looked back down at Aspen, concern being the only thing on my mind as well as a small spark of anger.

Who was the one who was doing all of this? Why were they doing this? What could they possibly think of getting out of all this utter nonsense and bullshit? What does the sick little fucker have in mind?

"I really do need to get going. I haven't finished my patrols yet," Sera suddenly shot up from her seat, but I quickly grabbed her arm to stop her from fly out my open door. "Ya 'ave yer little minions for that. I need you to explain everything to the Guardians," I said, not exactly happy about bringing the guardians into my realm again. And I especially didn't like having to ask them for assistance. I didn't like asking anyone for help. But this was serious. And I knew I couldn't face this alone.