top of page
Chaos-By-Incorporated-logo

CHAOS FOUND MAGIC

EXCERPTED FROM CHAPTER SEVEN

“He’s right, you know.” Wanda waits until James is fully out of earshot before admitting the truth. “Anger is a much easier emotion to feel than… some others.” She trails off, hoping that Sam will understand what she intentionally left unsaid.

“I get it.” He nods his head. “I’m angry nearly every single day of my life.”

“What do you have to be angry about, Samuel?”

She stops pacing in circles, admittedly curious to hear what he has to say.

“I had a buddy. In the military. He grew up in poverty— only enlisted to sustain himself after his mom died of cancer. After our first tour, he married a nice woman, only to find out in a letter from her sister that she died giving birth to their first child, while we both were overseas on our second tour.”

Sam clears his throat and looks up at her. “He never got to say goodbye.”

“Where is he now?”

“He died earlier this year. Gunshot wound to the head… Self inflicted.”

“And you couldn’t save him.”

“No.” Sam shakes his head. “But that’s not why I’m angry.”

Wanda watches him strap on a pair of boxing gloves before handing her a pair of her own.

“Then why? Why are you angry?”

Sam shifts back and forth on his feet and gestures for Wanda to mimic his movements.

“Four hundred people attended his funeral.” He sends a punch in Wanda’s direction. “Four hundred people, and he died thinking nobody loved him.”

Wanda blocks another punch and aims one toward Sam’s chest. “Maybe he felt like there wasn’t any other choice.”

“That’s the thing though, Wanda!” She’s unable to deflect the next punch to her face and rears back when the glove connects with her jaw. When her eyes latch back onto Sam’s, they’re on fire. “There is always a choice.”

“And you think he made the wrong one.”

“I think he didn’t stick around long enough to see if the other path was worth trekking.”

The fire in her eyes has spread past her cheeks and down her neck. “If you’re implying something here, just say it Sam.”

Sam sneaks another punch past her. It lands on her chest, knocking the air out of her lungs. Her fingertips flinch, aching for release.

“Angry yet?” Sam smirks.

Wanda straightens back up. “Again.”

Sam winds up for another round.

Right hook.

Left jab.

“The two of you aren’t all that different.”

Left hook.

Left jab.

“But then again, you probably already know that.”

“Sam…” Her warning is clear. Crystal. But still Sam persists.

“You have the same choice that he did, Wanda.”

“Don’t—“ Her lip begins to tremble. Her entire body is lit up.

Uppercut.

Right jab.

Left hook.

Uppercut.

Uppercut.

Uppercut.

“Channel the anger! Come on, Maximoff! Tame it!”

Wanda doesn’t know if it’s sweat or tears making her vision blurry, but she doesn’t care. It doesn’t bother her. She doesn’t let it. She’s on fire.

“Think about all you’ve lost!”

One punch. Then another.

“Think about all that’s been taken from you!”

“Stop it!”

Uppercut. Left jab.

“You have nothing, Wanda. Nobody! No one is coming to save you.”

Wanda screams. Her punches become erratic. Uncontrollable. She doesn’t even notice Sam move a punching bag in front of her. She just keeps punching. And crying. And wailing for people to come back that never will.

And Sam stands back, letting her. Watching her unravel. But proud— that despite her anguish, she doesn’t use an ounce of magic. Not even a flicker.
BACK TO FICTION
BACK TO FICTION
bottom of page