𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐔𝐒𝐊

36. 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝘁

     GAINING UNCONTROLLABLE POWER IS EQUAL TO GAINING A CURSE. That curse so happens to be the very power that created the enhanced of who she is today. Creating something that terrifies Eszter herself. Something so dark and sinister, throwing Eszter in a dark hole that trapped the enhanced in a world where she doesn't feel like she's in control of herself. Like a possessed being desiring nothing but destruction. To retain power as complicating and dangerous as Eszter's, she can definitely say that it's not a blessing as she once thought. Both fear and loss can be a strong motivation when they need to be, and it can easily manipulate the fragile mind and corrupt their life.

     Fear and loss are a path to the dark side, a place no person should have to go through, but every day, Eszter finds herself walking in the black and white world where nothing has a meaning. A world she manifested with her powers, a place Eszter's mind created whenever a traumatic event occurs--any grief, anger, frustration--Eszter measly tossed those emotions inside a bottle where she'd never have to feel them again. As if Eszter unloaded a package and discarded it as far as she could, making sure it was in a place where she never has to feel broken again. Like a whirl of chaos bubbling inside, waiting for that small crack to expand until the glass was fragile enough to break out.

     The last few people who accepted her with no hesitation now looked at Eszter as the whole does--fear. Eszter remembers exactly how they stared at her with terror etched on their face, burning into the enhanced's mind as she was the cause of it. Knowing that Michelle and Peter were suffering at the hands of Eszter was a horrifying thought, and it scared the enhanced to what she had done. But then, something inside her snapped, and the bottle inside was let loose; the demons on her shoulders were screaming at Eszter, promising revenge for the world after they betrayed her.

     For so long, Eszter kept herself at a high standard for the sake of her humanity and her private life. Constantly walking over eggshells around people she didn't know or catching the subtle shyness from people as they were aware of her powers. But now, Eszter knew her friendships with Michelle, Ned, and Peter were tarnished the second she inflicted her emotions into them unknowingly, pushing her lover over the edge and making him say things to hurt her. However, what scared Eszter the most was how easy it was for her to inflict her powers onto Michelle and Peter, causing them pain.

     Eszter wouldn't be surprised if they avoid her after what happened.

     Losing her only friends was terrifyingly scary, and Eszter realized that Peter was right--everything she touches is destroyed; the enhanced had crashed and burned her friendship and relationship with the two. Eszter remembers the look on Peter's face, but the enhanced couldn't stop the words from repeating themselves in her head.

     You would've saved Tony.

     Shut up.

    And your brother--stop--he would still be alive.

     Weakly, Eszter jumped out from the swirls of the darkness that grew in the air, releasing the enhanced as she crashes to the ground in a heap of a mess. As soon as Eszter's feet touched the dirt floor, her knees buckled weakly as she barely held her weight, letting herself crash hard. Heavy gasps of air filled Eszter's ears as her vision blurred with the tears swimming in her eyes and the heavy feeling sitting on her chest; the enhanced was struggling to catch her breath. Shaky fingers lift as dirt pebbles fall from the palm of her hands, then Eszter anxiously runs them through her knotted hair, clenching tightly.

     Suddenly, Eszter lets out an ear-piercing scream as a mixture of darkness and purple energy shot out from her body, hitting the construction vehicles that surrounded her; from the powerful wave, the loud whining and crumbling noise of the vehicles were tossed over or thrown back from the sudden push. Eszter felt the energy orbs growing in her palms, seeking so much more destruction, but the enhanced grit her teeth and held the power. Crying into the night, darkness oozed from Eszter.