The Present Day

  Lee was thinking about one thing, a thing he wanted to forget for the rest of his life who have given him so much bad memories. Her loudmouth still cuts deep after years of not seeing her.

  “I wonder what Mother is still the same?” Lee said to himself.

  The entire city was shrouded in darkness, the night the light of the moon and quiet. Looking at his boyhood house with a mix of fear and yearning, Lee stood a block away from it. His long-suppressed memories came flooding back, like ghosts from earlier times that wouldn't go away. He broke interactions with everything that made him think of his previous life and hadn't set foot in this neighbourhood since he left.

  Despite all the things she has done to him he hoped to seek forgiveness for her actions. But then it took a while for things to get to his head that where he lived was completely remodelled It was now a small house.

  Lee breathed deeply and drew himself closer to the house. His eyes were glued to the action inside as he stood in front of the glass. As he observed his mother, who was by this point a symbol of compassion and caring, engaging with the family, his heart crashed into his chest.

  His mother's soft voice and warm, musical laughter were in sharp contrast to his recollections of her. She cooed sweetly while tenderly holding a baby in her loving arms. When Lee realised that the woman he was looking at today was not the same as the one who had tortured him as a boy, his emotions began to spin.

  “What in the hell is this” Lee said quietly

  Lee's sight was clouded by a combination of hurt, uncertainty, and rage as his hands squeezed into tight fists. His mind split between the drive for retaliation and the desire to address his mother, his chest heaved with every laboured breath.

  In the shadows of his mind, he heard an ominous voice that appeared to share the same level of rage as him. It was the Skull Mask persona advising him to succumb to the want for violence in order to exact revenge on those who had hurt him. The voice snarled, "Burn it down," its words toxic in the back of his throat.

  His body was slowly morphing as Lee had one thing in mind.

  But among the commotion inside of him, a different voice weak but persistent rose. It belonged to him; it was the Lee who had strived to overcome his past and seek a better way, the Lee who had fought for justice. He recalled the suffering he had gone through and the fortitude he had amassed to change himself and become someone who wouldn't be ruled by hatred.

  Lee struggled mightily to keep his eyes from wandering to the window. He took a few steps backwards, his breath breathless and his fists still clenched. Although the Skull Mask's attraction was strong and almost overpowering, Lee resisted the urge to succumb to it.

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  He slowly decreases the morphing to zero.

  Lee's soul was gnawing with a sense of betrayal. Although his mother had the ability to alter and become the wonderful person she is today, she had never exhibited any such consideration for him. He struggled with the knowledge that he had been denied the love and compassion that she freely gave to others, which caused the old wounds from his past to reopen.

  His eyes began to flood up with tears, which blurred his vision as they ran down his cheeks. He was in danger of being consumed by the weight of his past and the grief he had hidden deep inside. His life was swept away by the years of suffering and the nightmares brought on by the hurtful memories that still plagued him.

  He went away from home, his gait plodding and weighed down. He was walking into the pitch-black night, the pain in his chest reverberating with each step.

  “What a waste of my damn time”

  The sun rising on the ants.

  Birds chirped for the awakening of a new day.

  Taz, a loyal and loving buddy who was close to Lee, awoke in the bedroom they shared. He realised the air in the room was thick with a sense of melancholy as he yawned and wiped his eyes. Lee, who was sitting on the edges of his bed with his shoulders hunched over and a dejected face, caught his attention.

  Taz quietly remarked, "Hey, buddy," his voice filled the space with a welcoming presence.

  Lee raised his eyes, tired and distant, to Taz. Though it was tinged with grief, he was able to muster a weak grin. Good day, Taz.

  Taz sat down next to Lee, his weight causing the mattress to sag. His gut feeling told him that something had occurred last night that had cut to the core of Lee's previous wounds as he observed his friend's face.

  Taz softly said, "You sound a bit away," his worry evident.

  Lee groaned and turned his attention to his hands. Yes, I had a difficult night.

  Before starting to speak, Lee paused for a brief period, his voice tinted with a combination of anguish and annoyance. He described his choice to go back to his boyhood home, the memories that had come flooding back, and the feelings that had raced through him when he saw his mother's changed appearance.

  Taz listened intently as Lee told his tale as his eyes were fixed on his pal. He was aware of the importance of the past, the persistent ghosts, and the weight of unresolved emotions.

  Lee finished describing his story, and Taz nodded deeply. "What a journey you went on last night," I said.

  Lee said, "Yeah," his voice quavering with emotion. It was... unexpected.

  Taz put a hand on Lee's back and gave him a comforting squeeze. "You know, people do alter occasionally. They occasionally own their errors and make an effort to set things right.

  With uncertain eyes, Lee raised an eyebrow at Taz. But Taz, it doesn't alter what occurred. It doesn't take away the pain.

  Taz nodded in agreement. Not at all, I say. Also acceptable is upset feelings. But resist letting it control you.

  “Thanks, Taz.” Lee said’

  While Lee was having a heartful moment with Taz, It was not looking good for Winston and his organisation as he was suffering from a major loss of his business. Nobody was telling him the reason why his business was slowly reducing.

  “IS THERE SOMETHING YOU FOOLS ARE NOT TELLING ME? WHY IS EVERYTHING GOING TO CRAP!” Winston asked his men.

  His men shivered in fear as it has been a while since Winston has expressed this much anger towards his men. They gulped their liquids as it was their only meal.

  “So, no one can answer me then?”

  Winston suddenly turned and headed towards a huge screen that was set on the wall amid the uncomfortable quiet. He flicked a switch to turn it on, and a news report began to play on the screen.

  Headline: "Skull Mask Vigilante Strikes Again."

  Winston watched the news story with his eyes growing more focused. The screen was loaded with scenes of mayhem and devastation as well as descriptions of the vigilante's daring deeds. A realisation started to dawn on him as he listened to eyewitnesses and specialists explain the effects of the Skull Mask's acts.

  He turns around slowly.

  “Is this what you morons been hiding from me? Winston said with a quiet yet a sinister demeanour

  What will come of next in his action?