I was confronted by a sullen monster,
its blue eyes and screeching roar.
Scars ran up and down its arms
from when it fought other monsters,
different monsters,
monsters who bubbled and popped within the beast;
who stewed upon its negative waves
as they sank deep into each pore of it.
Their breath like steel,
each word molding itself into a new weapon.

The monster stood before me with
ragged and ruined fur,
empty wet eyes which seemed to forever drop into nothingness,
and broken, curled claws.

But it did not want to hurt me;
instead
it only could hurt itself.
Because what monster learns anything but
self-loathing?