𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

16. 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀

PRESENT-DAY

     MONICA REMEMBERED EVERYTHING. From the lies, the character acting, the pain she carried, and how her body was hurled across the city, she remembered it all while it was still fresh. Monica recalled slipping through the barrier after questioning Eszter, who she was filling in on about the situation Wanda might be in; the woman wanted the teenager to be aware of her sister's whereabouts, but she also didn't want to use her the way Hayward planned to.

     However, maybe Monica screwed up a little.

     Hayward studied Monica. "What's the first thing you do remember?"

     "Pain," confessed Monica, motionless and dead of emotions. She stared at the wall as memories of her fake life flashed through her eyes, reminding her of how she was pulled around like a puppet on a string. "And then, Wanda's voice in my head."

     Monica places the memories in order as they make the woman jerk with each reminder, sending chills down her spine. It was weird being trapped in Westview. Monica couldn't describe how it felt, being someone's meat puppet.

     "Did you try to resist?"

     "There was this feeling keeping me down," admitted Monica, furrowing her brows uncomfortably. "This . . . hopeless feeling. Like drowning." Monica didn't want to, but memories of blinking back into existence were the first thing she thought about that could simplify the feeling. "It was grief."

     "What about Eszter?"

     "She . . ."

     Hayward observed the woman with a hard stare, temperamental. "Monica?"

     Monica looked at Hayward. "She, uh, she was playing along, I think," the woman frowned as she thought about Eszter, who she rarely saw now that she thinks about it. "I couldn't tell, but I think she was trying to connect with me? I couldn't . . ."

     "What do you mean?" inquired Hayward, confused.

     "I didn't just feel Wanda," said Monica, furrowing her brows at the recollection. "Eszter . . . she was in my head."

     Hayward sat back in his seat. "Eszter has the ability to manipulate emotions, similar to Wanda," he narrows his eyes in speculation. "Are you saying Eszter might've had something to do with it?"

     At the accusation, Monica stared at Hayward. "No. No, I don't think so. She was . . . when I helped Wanda give birth, I think Eszter knew I was waking up," said the woman, eyes holding nothing as they looked distant. Monica was going back to the memories again. "When Wanda was upset, all I could feel . . . was guilt. Eszter didn't want to hurt me. She remembered me."

     "Do you know if Eszter was under Wanda's control as well?"

     But Monica shook her head with a shrug. "I don't know. No, I think? It didn't look like it when I saw her, but I know she's hurting just as much as Wanda."

     Letting out a strangled sigh, Hayward jumped out of his seat. "Okay, sit tight while we get your scan done," he tries to smile in encouragement, hoping to lift the mood, but Monica failed to match the energy; the woman could barely muster a smile after the traumatic experience. "Glad to have you back, Rambeau."

      Monica merely nodded in appreciation, but she wanted to be alone; nothing felt wrong ever since her trip to Westview and everything it came with it. Monica felt lost. Nothing about her felt right, and she felt almost nauseous whenever she thought about it. This was the only time Monica was given a chance to think for herself without someone doing it for her, and she felt free from the chains that fought for her obedience. However, Monica failed to mention to Hayward that she battled more than Wanda in her head.