This time she opened her eyes to an empty back-lane of a busy city street. Dilapidated buildings filled her sight and the smell of mould made her sick. She soon sensed she was alone in the deserted city, "What a surprise!" she sarcastically shouted! Turning in a full circle to scan her new location, she reflexively put her hand inside her bag. Then she realized her gun was missing. With a heavy sigh she swore and started looking for a home she could loot. Conscience wasn't least of her worries in days like these. She would have left money in these homes; if only money mattered any more, or if only anyone was still alive. It often crossed her mind that she was the only person left amidst this vast nothing, people once called Earth. One month seems so long back. Ever since the invasion, no one can know which world is real. One month ago -or what she thinks was a month- she was sitting in the middle of a park and picking on an ugly blade of grass. After that everything went dark and light at the same time. The world around her dissolved into black nothing and strong white light blindingly approached towards her as she screamed and fell to her head. It felt as if she was struck by a million streaks of lightning all at once. She woke up to the world as she knows it now; new, torn apart, vague and never ending. Does the Earth in it's physical presence even exist any more? She could only hope there were more resistance groups against the soul sucking evils of these wrecker times. Her earlier days into this new nothing were wasted into crying about the loneliness. "Everyone bears their own cross Drea," her mom would say. She just didn't know it would be this lonely. She tried to think of something else. Self pity only made things worse. Pulling herself atop the nearest railing, she welcomed herself into the dust covered residence. It was a small lofted apartment and looked like it could have belonged to an avid reader. She went still at the sight of an entire wall stacked with books. Books were a rare commodity, and she could do anything to keep those with her. Excitedly she started scanning through the apartment to search for the largest possible bag she could find. She emptied her bag on the floor before her. Pulling out a camping bag, she stuffed the bottom with seven books and then stacked her supplies atop. Next, she ran into the kitchen and stuffed her bag with a box of granola bars. She cooked herself some canned soup for the night and fell asleep on the damp wooden floors as she looked at the night creep in.
This morning she woke up due to intense heat. It felt like the entire Earth could be on fire and still not burn as hot. The heat waves made her nauseous and she could almost taste her canned mushroom soup dinner. She splashed some water on her face from the already leaking kitchen faucet and peeked outside the window. She reflexively ducked as she saw the tree opposite to her window bust into flames and then disappear. She knew what this meant- it was time for her next battle! As quickly as she could, she grabbed her heavy bag and swung out of the apartment window. It was a short way to the ground if she jumped. Like most times, she would probably survive anyway! So just like that, she jumped off the hot metal railing and bid her goodbyes to the lofted apartment she already felt attached to. She started heading towards the source of the heat. With each step she felt herself getting dizzier. After good five minutes of running in the burning heat she crouched on the cracked cement roads. And then she saw it. The smoke started coming out from the cracks and quickly hugged her in their red sheet. "Oh I thought you changed colours!", she said sarcastically again. She was now dizzy and short of breath and blurred in vision. "C'mon you can do better than that!" She yelled in anger. As she coughed and walked through the dense red cloud she could see a figure waiting for her. It looked like someone covered in flames. "Are you going to fight me missy? You know this is a whole new level of dangerous now." echoed the figure. Drea kept quiet. She was smart to realise that this time it would be easier if she didn't say a word; this time her enemy was anger.
Her first thought was to empty her water bottle on the blazing figure. However as she thought more it only sounded stupid! She would be left with no water and it would only aggravate the enemy. Calmly, she sat on the floor. He laughed. "Why aren't you killing me?", she asked. "You aren't even gonna try?", replied anger. She smiled and nodded a no. The heat around her increased, her head ached and she felt dehydrated. Sweat stung her eyes and she coughed up blood. Not wanting to worry, she slowly sipped on her water. "Move you maggot!", screamed a voice on the other end. A blazing ball of fire flew right past her, instantly burning her shoulder. She screamed in pain but didn't stand up. Tears burned in her eyes and she bit her lip to not scream more. Another one approached, and this time she didn't flinch; she decided not to. The ground beneath her shook and fumed and she was rolled onto a burning pavement. Still not moving, she stood up and found her place on the ground again. Finally, with a dry throat she spat out the words, "Give up." The voice now raged, replied, "You cannot control me! You are a slave to my character! I am the demon inside you and you feed it each moment you fight back!" Looking straight towards the source of the voice Drea spoke, "You are only powerful as long as I fight. As long as I rage. You cannot kill me if I don't let you win. What if I don't feed that demon. What if I eliminate your presence from me all together? What are you gonna do then?" The ground roared again and more things around her fell into ashes. This time she got up and started walking right into the mouth of this blazing home. "What are you doing?", screamed anger. "Destroying your very presence from me." she said as she felt the first heat of the flames. Closing her tear filled eye she ran into the home. She didn't know if things would change for the better when she would open her eye this time; but she gave it a chance. A blanket of heat and stinging burns covered her. She might have screamed if her throat wasn't so dry. When she opened her eyes she remained laid down on a rock in the middle of a pond. A little shocked at first she stood up to not fall in. And then all at once she felt the presence of every cell in her body and jumped into the pond feeling utmost relief. When she looked around it had all changed. The burning home was ashes, the pavement covered in moss and greenery all around her. Her backpack remained untouched on it. She decided to spend some time cooling herself in that pond before she would carry on. She had killed anger.
This morning she woke up due to intense heat. It felt like the entire Earth could be on fire and still not burn as hot. The heat waves made her nauseous and she could almost taste her canned mushroom soup dinner. She splashed some water on her face from the already leaking kitchen faucet and peeked outside the window. She reflexively ducked as she saw the tree opposite to her window bust into flames and then disappear. She knew what this meant- it was time for her next battle! As quickly as she could, she grabbed her heavy bag and swung out of the apartment window. It was a short way to the ground if she jumped. Like most times, she would probably survive anyway! So just like that, she jumped off the hot metal railing and bid her goodbyes to the lofted apartment she already felt attached to. She started heading towards the source of the heat. With each step she felt herself getting dizzier. After good five minutes of running in the burning heat she crouched on the cracked cement roads. And then she saw it. The smoke started coming out from the cracks and quickly hugged her in their red sheet. "Oh I thought you changed colours!", she said sarcastically again. She was now dizzy and short of breath and blurred in vision. "C'mon you can do better than that!" She yelled in anger. As she coughed and walked through the dense red cloud she could see a figure waiting for her. It looked like someone covered in flames. "Are you going to fight me missy? You know this is a whole new level of dangerous now." echoed the figure. Drea kept quiet. She was smart to realise that this time it would be easier if she didn't say a word; this time her enemy was anger.
Her first thought was to empty her water bottle on the blazing figure. However as she thought more it only sounded stupid! She would be left with no water and it would only aggravate the enemy. Calmly, she sat on the floor. He laughed. "Why aren't you killing me?", she asked. "You aren't even gonna try?", replied anger. She smiled and nodded a no. The heat around her increased, her head ached and she felt dehydrated. Sweat stung her eyes and she coughed up blood. Not wanting to worry, she slowly sipped on her water. "Move you maggot!", screamed a voice on the other end. A blazing ball of fire flew right past her, instantly burning her shoulder. She screamed in pain but didn't stand up. Tears burned in her eyes and she bit her lip to not scream more. Another one approached, and this time she didn't flinch; she decided not to. The ground beneath her shook and fumed and she was rolled onto a burning pavement. Still not moving, she stood up and found her place on the ground again. Finally, with a dry throat she spat out the words, "Give up." The voice now raged, replied, "You cannot control me! You are a slave to my character! I am the demon inside you and you feed it each moment you fight back!" Looking straight towards the source of the voice Drea spoke, "You are only powerful as long as I fight. As long as I rage. You cannot kill me if I don't let you win. What if I don't feed that demon. What if I eliminate your presence from me all together? What are you gonna do then?" The ground roared again and more things around her fell into ashes. This time she got up and started walking right into the mouth of this blazing home. "What are you doing?", screamed anger. "Destroying your very presence from me." she said as she felt the first heat of the flames. Closing her tear filled eye she ran into the home. She didn't know if things would change for the better when she would open her eye this time; but she gave it a chance. A blanket of heat and stinging burns covered her. She might have screamed if her throat wasn't so dry. When she opened her eyes she remained laid down on a rock in the middle of a pond. A little shocked at first she stood up to not fall in. And then all at once she felt the presence of every cell in her body and jumped into the pond feeling utmost relief. When she looked around it had all changed. The burning home was ashes, the pavement covered in moss and greenery all around her. Her backpack remained untouched on it. She decided to spend some time cooling herself in that pond before she would carry on. She had killed anger.
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