True Love

Stones

Trigger Warnings: Panic/Anxiety attack

MJ's POV

I woke up crying. My body was ice cold, and fear choked me. I tried to move, but my muscles wouldn't budge. A hand gripped my shoulders, and the unknown force dragged me across the floor. More tears flooded down my cheeks. Petrified sweat dripped down my shirt, mixing with the blood and tears. 

Sheer terror.

I recognized the room all too well. The pillars still had the scars, painful cracks decorating the sides. 

It was heaven broken into a million pieces, the mosaics faded away. No, it was hell, laughing as I prayed to an unseeing god to kill me. The pain was too much to bear. Or perhaps it was a nightmare, waiting for its victim to walk into its trap, and traumatize me every morning when I woke up. Maybe it was a dream, relieving me of the stress and horror of reality and reminding me that I will never escape. The dreams I wished for every birthday were just that, dreams. They would never come true.

Now, there was only blinding white, the majesty of it all overwhelming my eyes. 

And there was the force that had dragged me there, now forsaking its servant as it left me to the torture I must bear. Every day, every hour, every minute, every second.

The walls began to crumble, and I awaited my punishment as the stones made there way down, crashing against the floor. The sound deafened my ears, and I cried my heart out as the pain increased.

At least at night, I was able to shed the pain from the day. Well, maybe not rid myself of it, but at least I could rid myself of the facade I acted out every day. Every night, I reminded myself who I was: a poor, dumb, girl who would never amount to anything. No one would ever truly love me, no would ever want to love me. I was nothing, and I would never be anything.

The tears continued to fall endlessly, drowning me in my own sorrows.

Pain ripped me apart as if I was a piece of paper. My heart cried out as the pressure rose, my blood no longer running through my veins but dripping down my skin. 

I screamed, the stones ripping me to shreds, my soul buried under the overwhelming amount of rubble. My last bit of life wisped away as my tears fell silent, my cries muffled by the sound of death.

The bed moaned beneath me as I jerked up tears. My lungs demanded oxygen, and I found myself hyperventilating. Quietly, I calmed myself down. Hoarse coughs sputtered from my lips, and my throat burned from coughing so much. Whimpers escaped from inside me as I laid back down, pain reminding me of my recent wounds. Sleep threatened to overtake me, but I forced my eyes open.

I couldn't go back. Not now.

I didn't want to go back. Not now, not ever. The memory was still burning through my head, every detail carved in raw skin.

Never again.

But I had no choice. If I must survive, I had to go back and face it again. And again. And again. The pain wouldn't be so fatal if I didn't have to face it alone. 

I mentally slapped myself. Who was I to drag someone else down into the deep? Had I really grown that selfish? To be honest, I didn't really know who I was. Not anymore. I didn't even know if I could be considered a person.

Sleep pushed harder, but I continued to run away.

Someday, that would be the last time I entered that room. I would stay there forever, stones crushing my body until I collapsed, dead on the ground. No one would notice I was gone, no one would notice I had ever been there. It would be as if I had never existed.

And so life continues.

Submissively, I closed my eyes, and allowed sleep to take over.

Unknown's POV

Place: Unidentified

Base: Headquarters

States: Hidden from view

Criminal records: None

"Well?"

"He took the bait," a shaky voice replied.

"And?" It impatiently growled, claws tapping on the armrest of the stone throne.

"No luck yet." He quickly continued on when he saw the master's eyes narrow in dissatisfaction. "But I'm sure he will have it soon. In fact, he is working with another scientist, one I believe is just as talented as himself. We must have patience, your honorable greatness."

"Patience." It said the word as if it was testing how it sounded. "I have been patient long enough. But I suppose I must bear to wait. Otherwise everything I have already waited for will go to waste."

"Y-yes, sir."

"Go now, before I have you as my dinner."

There was a skitter across the floor, then the sound of a door opening and closing. Only the beast's glowing, red eyes were visible in the pitch black room. His voice was scarred, and revenge bloomed in the room. The impatient tapping continued.

"Guards! Keep a close watch on my, uh, representative. Tell me everything and anything he does."

An invisible nod, and the room fell silent once again.

"I will conquer you. I'll kill every one of your minions and choke you myself. If only you knew how short your days are numbered, Iron man." 

Only an evil laugh stayed as the room grew as dark and terrifying as death itself.