SilverShadowPheonix

It’s a crisp fall day as you walk to school. The leaves are just starting to turn colors. Just a hint of a chill is in the air. It’s a lovely time of year! … Or it would be if midterms and projects didn’t have you down. As usual, one professor is laying on the work on top of another on top of another to the point that you are asking yourself once more “Why am I here again?” When you were in high school, adults always dress up the “college experience” as a good time. Learn new things to help you with a career! Make new friends! Clubs and sports galore! Maybe it was all that was bright and rosy once upon a decade, but your reality is a real dumpster fire. Heads of departments changing every other month. Decent professors assigning too much. Professors who really didn’t know how to teach assigning double the work. Tuition costs rising. Your roommates up all the hours of the day and night gaming with the volume on full blast! Having to do the work of five at your job at the local

“Take a step closer, and I’ll erase you!” a commanding voice shouts. You feel like you’re in that space between waking and dreaming. You still feel lightyears away from your body, but you are aware of some things happening around it. Right now, it just seems to be that voice. You don’t recognize it. Then again it does sound rather far away right now. You kinda wish that you could tell whoever it is to stop yelling and let you sleep. Maybe you left the tv on or something? “I warned you, rogue element!” the voice speaks once more. You can make out the sounds of a scuffle. Blows being exchanged. Growls and snarls verses grunts and war cries. What did you leave playing on [insert media streaming service of choice]? You try to will yourself to wake up, but your body is stubborn as always. If anything, you feel the comforting darkness drawing you in deeper. You would rather give in to the nothingness, but something in the back of your mind is telling you to wake up. “Rogue element/ Thee I

"Take a breath." So I'm commanded. Yet I can't deliver the oxygen My lungs have demanded. Smoke and ash Stirred up from the fray Choking the life Right out of me. Everyone around Cheers me on "You got this!" they shout, But for how long? I storm forward at break-neck speed To take down all the foes In front of me. I can't afford to falter. A misstep could cause my fall. If I go down, there's no one else To stand up to answer the call. Lonely guardian, here I stand To keep evil at bay. So many depend on me Yet not the other way round To my dismay. "Charge forward," the command comes. I will go, but I digress How much longer must I go on Till I can catch my breath?