Warped

Chapter 33: Jesse

I close my eyes and take a deep breath, relaxing myself to start, yet getting pumped up for it at the same time. I shake my arms, getting rid of the tense muscles and letting the toughened skin thin out again. My booming pulse won't be slowing down enough for this to be the prefect practice session, but oh well. I'm still in the beginning.

I snap my eyes opens, screeching as I snap my fist back. Thicking the skin in the second I take to slam it forward.

Crack!

A nice strong line breaks from where my fist collided with the trunk. It creaks slowly, and I push it away from me. The tree instantly leans and falls down that way, any bird taking refuge in its leaves long gone by now. Yet despite the huge spilt I caused, there's only a dull ache in my knuckles. No pain inflicted at all.

The tree crashes onto the ground, and I glance around at the other trees scattered around. I didn't realize it, but I've made a clearing. Granted, you can't consider the tree trunks.

My monster growls in satisfaction, and I can't help but feel a smudge of pride at this scene before me. Each one of these trees, brought down by a single punch. Well, the first one took two, but only because I was hesitant. It's clear that I can be extremely powerful if I choose to be, nothing can stop me.

Then the worm of guilt and shame wiggle its way into my stomach, scolding me for taking joy in this carnage. Should I really be happy that I have this sort of power? Aiden sure loved to destroy stuff too, look where that got him. I shouldn't be acting like a monster.

I push that away, I'm not doing this for personal gain. I'm doing to it to destroy those demons and the devil that leads them once and for all. I'm doing nothing more than training for a mission, there's nothing wrong with that. That doesn't make me a monster.

The worm of doubt slinks away, the emptiness in my stomach now apparent. I peek up at the sun, and even my enhanced eyes need some shade from the sun's glare. It's probably only an hour or two before dark, best to find something to eat and then find a spot to sleep.

As I walk away, I pause to look back at the mess of fallen trees. It doesn't look that appealing, but oh well. Some critter will make a home in the logs, birds will make new nests, and now moss can grow on the fallen bark. Nothing bad will happen.

The thought of practicing how to speak again flows into my thoughts, my monster growling its disapproval. I can feel waves of irritation coming from it, and it must think that speaking is a huge waste of time. Monsters don't need to speak.

But... I do have time to kill. Most of the animals around here have scampered away by the falling trees. At some point I do want to be with my friends again, even if that has to wait until after I obliterate some particular demons.  

A rabbit struts into my view, and freezes when it catches sight of me. I smirk at it, the potent scent of its fear enticing my nose already. I suppose I'm not hungry for a huge animal anyway, and a chase would be really fun.

It bolts and I chase after it, effortlessly keeping up with it. Winding through the trees with it as if I've been chasing bunnies my entire life. The sharp scent of its terror exciting my heart.

There are multiple chances for me to pounce on it, and I can easily pick up my pace if I needed to. But I simply chase it and chase it, playing with it more than anything. Prolonging the time I get to enjoy its fright.

A chuckle, only slightly breathless, escapes me as the rabbit as no choice but to slow down. It's muscles simply cannot keep up the pace that its terror demands of it, but it still desperately runs as fast as it can away from me. But it was dead the moment I saw it, it can't escape me now. Nothing can.