from another realm

chapter 4

It was the next day, and I woke up feeling a mix of confidence. I walked out of my room to see Jenna preparing for my haircut.

She had a mischievous smile on her face as she held up pictures from a magazine of different hairstyles. "I've got some ideas for you," she said, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "Let's find the perfect look to match your newfound warrior spirit."

I then looked at the pictures, before picking one that caught my eye. It was a bold and edgy hairstyle, with shaved sides and long, tousled layers on top.

"this one" I said.

"Alright, take a seat and let's get started," Jenna replied, gesturing towards the stool. She quickly grabbed scissors, a hair comb, and an electric razor from the nearby table. As she began to work her magic, I couldn't help but enjoy the razer's gentle buzz as it glided through my hair. The transformation was exhilarating, and with each snip, I could feel my warrior spirit growing stronger. Jenna's skilled hands sculpted the perfect balance of fierceness and elegance, bringing my newfound look to life.

As all of the hair that was never cut in 2 years, fell to the ground in a cascade of freedom, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. It was as if shedding those strands symbolized leaving behind the old and embracing a fresh start, that's when she stopped before reaching my untouched beard and looked at me with a mischievous smile. "What do you say we give your beard a little trim too?" she asked.

"Trim it to where it doesn't hang off my chin like a wild forest, but keep it a bit thick for that survivor beard" I said.

"Alright," Jenna said as she picked up the scissors and began carefully trimming my beard. I watched as the excess hair fell to the ground, feeling a sense of freedom that washed over me.

The weight of the past seemed to lift with each snip of the scissors, as if shedding the old version of myself. The man who couldn't pay off his bills and was constantly stressed about money, was gone, replaced by a newfound confidence and resilience. As Jenna continued to sculpt my beard, she stepped back.

"There you are, a brand new you," Jenna said with a smile, as she held up a mirror for me to see my transformed appearance. I couldn't help but feel shock and awe at the reflection staring back at me. Gone was the unkempt and disheveled man I once was, replaced by a groomed and stylish version of a soldier ready to take on the world.

"holy turd buckets! this is me under that hair!" I said in disbelief.

"Yeah, I didn't recognize you at first either," Jenna chuckled. "But it's amazing what a little grooming can do. You look like a whole new person!"

I then got up from the stool and walked outside to see Shane swing a board-like sword in the air with ease.

As she swung she saw me with a new haircut and beard and her eyes widened in surprise. "Wow, I almost didn't recognize you!" she exclaimed. "You look so different, in a good way. The transformation is incredible." I smiled and thanked her for the compliment, feeling a newfound confidence in my appearance. "Yeah, I was amazed at how much of a difference a simple grooming session could make. It was as if I had shed my old self and emerged as a more polished version."

Shane then tossed a board-like sword to me "here you go, craftsmanship isn't my specialty, but I made sure to choose a sturdy one for sparing practice" she said.

I caught the sword with a firm grip, admiring its solid construction. "Thank you, Shane. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in selecting a durable weapon for our practice sessions," I replied, eager to test out my newfound confidence and skills with the sword.

We then began our sparring session, our movements fluid and synchronized. As we struck our wooden swords, I could feel the weight of my old self fading away with each strike.