𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

30. 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 . . . 𝗼𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁?

WESTVIEW WAS FULL OF CHEERFUL TRICK-OR-TREATERS. Even though the kids showed up out of nowhere, they roamed the streets, playing and soaking up their youth. It went unphased by everyone. Kids and teens of all ages were exploring the small town, dressed up and with bags full of a variety of candy; while they had a Halloween to remember, Eszter will remember that she spent this night moping around. A night meant to be about having a good time dressed up as whatever, getting free candy, and causing trouble, Eszter couldn't be bothered to enjoy it. Not with her altercation with Wanda still fresh.

Eszter admits she might've lost her head a bit back there, but what was the witch supposed to do? She was fuming at Wanda's accusation. How dare Wanda blame Eszter for all the mishaps happening in Westview? Eszter can see how Wanda could assume she has something to do with it, but to blatantly call Eszter a screwup was hurtful.

     Pietro attempted to coax Eszter to join him and find Wanda, but Eszter refused; the wound was still fresh, and Eszter was too angry to think about seeing her sister after that harsh blow to the chest. The witch figured they both needed space--if Eszter went back, she might get triggered and cause another fight. Besides, Eszter didn't want her bad mood to ruin Tommy and Billy's first Halloween, so she opted to distance herself in the meantime. The flame in her belly was scorching and too hot to even think about forgiving Wanda.

     When sisters fight, the claws come out, but they always make up in the end. Eventually.

     Instead, Eszter opted to people-watch. She adores how the children shouted the traditional Halloween song with their arms stretched wide, pulling their bags open as they awaited a new wave of candy. Their costumes were curated perfectly for each child--some dressed as princesses, monsters, and superheroes. Westview was unusually festive. Teenagers looked just as excited to dress up tonight, especially without the mockery of their friends, feeling like children in their hearts. They'd all run up and down driveways feeling giddy, nudging their shoulders into one another.

     Eszter spotted a group of teens amongst the crowd, two boys and two girls, all dressed up in different themes and cracking jokes. Whatever the first boy said, it had the other three throwing their head back and cackling into the wind. The two girls clutched one another to stable each other as their knees nearly gave out from underneath them, and the other boy nodded with a huge smile, agreeing. Eszter felt her breath hitch in the back of her throat, a deep pang stabbed in the middle of her chest, and her stomach churned regretfully as she wallowed in her dismay. It was like a shot in the heart that took Eszter by surprise.

     She was jealous. Eszter hated how everything ended the way it did, but she had no one to blame. But she could blame the world, right? If it weren't for its cruelness, then Eszter would've never put herself into these sorts of situations. She wouldn't be so self-destructive, deceiving her conscious or shoving everything far away in a small box. Why should Eszter dismiss how she'd been treated through her youth? Why's any of that Eszter's fault?

     Resentment was a bitch, but so was Eszter.

     Suddenly, Eszter was whipped with a rush of adrenaline before she felt her breath shorten almost instantly, and her chest started to squeeze tightly, then her hands became clammy. Eszter inhaled hard, but it felt like she was drowning and couldn't find air. The pounding in her ears thumped louder and louder until it was all Eszter could hear; the witch's chest jumped up and down rapidly as she attempted to restore her normal breathing, but it felt too far for the witch to rescue. Why was her heart hurting so much? Why can't she breathe? Eszter scavenged for answers, but the more she pondered her worries, the witch started to tremble. Like a mini earthquake in her body, Eszter clenched her fists as if the ground herself, but the witch watched as her fists shook.