“Welcome.”

“WELCOME!”

All this said by a voice.

“What the….” I say, rubbing my head. My hearts pounding and my eyes burning.

I try to think but I can’t, the only thing I can remember last is walking up to my wife’s apartment, we’ve been living separately for the past couple of months, but I didn’t think anything of it. Now I’m here. With….

“Ow!” I yelp.

A sharp pain jabs my leg.

A…lizard...

(Toris Viewpoint)

The dome exploded, that’s the last I saw of Cap’n before he went inside to get that Gladed information.

“Lena! How much longer do you think he’ll be?”

As she’s about to speak a rather heavyset big Glading monster slides up out of the water and wraps its big claws around the broken dome.

“Screws. Guess we‘ve got to Sal’s flaming butt again.” I mutter under my breath.

Lena rea...

2 years later:

“Captain!” “Captain!” Lena yells, snapping me from my sleep.

I open my door to find her standing there impatiently, “We’re approaching.” She says with urgency.

“By The Glades,” I whisper, “Really?”

She gives me a small smile, “The crows say so.”

“Finally! Can you man the wheel while I wake up Toris?”

She nods and heads off.

I sigh, dress, and ready my mace, staring at the...

“9/11. A day for remembrance, heavy topic, I know. But let’s take a moment of silence.” My teacher says.

Nobody speaks.

He nods at us in thanks and we continue on with our class.

I can feel it inside me.

In history,

In Advanced Geometry,

In Honors English 12,

In AP Bio 12.

Lurking like a monster.

Who knows what it is?

Can someone please tell me?

Does someone, anyone know?

And a voice cal...

Well this is funny, because I submitted the prompt! I never expected it to take. But it did. Forever grateful for everyone’s creativity towards the prompt, and here’s my take on it.

——————————————————————

The rift opened, dragging me with it. Pulling me, wanting me to go into its cold embrace.

And so I float in the abyss. Listening.

“You wonder how you got here. You wonder where everything wen...

My life fell to pieces. All because of a crazed god who killed his predecessor. Who in turn killed my family, ripping everything I loved from my hands. And snapped my world into two. Literally. I hope to kill him. And I’m nearly there. But I suppose I should start at the beginning. The VERY beginning…..

My father slapped the dull edge of his sword to my chest.

In return I heav my mace and slammi...

The snapped in half edge of the warehouse groans under me, just like my mind, I shouldn’t be alive. That physiological terror rips my brain to shreds.

“Darin! We need to jump!” Grace, one of the last members of our team yells to me.

I stare down into the ravine, we are the last group, searching for the last rift and funnily enough. It lies here. At the bottom of the ravine, dark inky blackness s...

Breathe in…..

1

2

3

4

5……

That’s what they tell me. When It hits. The wave. The attack.

So what is it?

Well it can be anything.

It is your own personal giant.

But for me. It’s the fractured state I leave myself in.

After I hit.

But that’s not all.

It…is panic. It….is my own trials, my own anxious thoughts.

So what happens when Panic attacks me. They call to me. They tell me to br...

Are we the same?

Sure we all look the same in the dark.

But are we all the same.

Are we all sane?

I think that I can answer that question, but does it really matter? My answer? If nobody cares?

And these are the thought running through my brain.

I can’t seem to restrain myself if I have a chance.

I get that I’m rambling, ranting.

I get that this may not resonate with anyone.

I get that...

Why do I write.

Why do I use trauma in the the things I write.

Do I enjoy it?

No, never.

So why do I write?

Is it an outlet?

A form of entertainment?

A way to keep me sane in the walls that hold me?

It may be.

I’ll never know.

But trauma helps the reader connect.

But does it, would it?

These things that run through my brain.

Am I good at this?

Am I even worth it?

Yes, no....