Imagination Is Everything

Monster

​Aspen's jade necklace laid in my palm glowing a soft minty green, where her hand once was, now disintegrated into nothing but thin air. My hand trembled in fury, clenching at the cool stone, praying helplessly for this to be a trick. Another sick trick some sick bastard was playing on me. I'd give anything for her to just pop out of nowhere and yell "Got you!" with Daffy by her side, like how they used to when I'd work myself too hard.

But it wasn't some trick.

Aspen was really gone.

It took all of my willpower and every single ounce of control I had in my body not to lose it on the spot and trash the place. No. I couldn't lose my cool here. Not in front of the Guardians.

They mustn't see me break.

​I felt every one of their eyes train themselves on me, watching me cautiously,not knowing what to do or say. I knew what went on in their minds, what they really thought of me. I was just some animal on the verge of starting a rampage, some Brooklyn punk with anger issues, someone who just needed a little push, a little provocation to get me flailing off the edge of my self-control.

I both craved for that little push and tried to avoid it at the same time.

I needed a release, an outlet for my anger as well as a way to hold it all in. A way for me to release the anger bottled up inside of me without hurting anyone. I've already hurt so many people, so many innocent lives lost because of me. I just needed a way to let go of it all.

I made a beeline for my sparring room.

"Ammo, wait-"Tooth had tried to call after me before i cut her off with a heavy dose of frustration in my voice.

"Don't follow me," I snapped impatiently, hurriedly making my way to my sparring room as fast as I could without running. I couldn't run when I was angry, it would bring back so many memories.

​Memories of people fleeing, screams and shouts everywhere, the metallic smell of blood that filled the air we breathed in, overwhelming me, choking me-

No. I couldn't let my self think about it. I needed to get to the sparring room as fast as I could. I could let myself hurt anyone again.

I hastily placed the gemstone on the kitchen countertop. Walking to a far end of the kitchen and into a long hallway. I came to a dead end, a pair of curtains drawn close over a painting I've passed so many times before, one I haven't seen in so long, and never planned to. I spotted the hatch on the floor, a wooden flap door with a brass ring attached to it. I quickly pulled it open, revealing a familiar stairway I had descended so many times for my daily training and exercise.