Prompt #5: What’s your greatest fear?
My greatest fear? Having it happen over again. Having to hide, to lie, to disguise our talents, our dreams, our very essence. Those fifteen years were torture unique and yet commonly known to most teenagers: to be denied the freedom to be who and what you are, to do not just what you wanted, but what you needed to do. The secret identities were more real to many than their so-called “real lives”.

It’s hard to be shunted into just one role after living a dual life for so long. For a while, yes, it seemed simpler. We all learned what “free time” was. However, without that outlet daily life soon became not only monotonous but maddening. Heroism is a calling for many, and to be denied that… It’s hard to quit anything cold turkey, much less a key part of you life, of you existence.

I will never go back to that. I can’t. I won’t. It cannot be allowed.