Beyond The Envy

"Unfair! No one should endure that. Is it real? Did it happen?" Hester's voice rose, but Cara interjected before she could finish. "Calm down, Hester. It's just an example," Cara stated, her tone blunt as she shot a scowl at Dr. Colbar. "That's cruelty!" Hester objected, rising to her feet, drawing stares from onlookers. Then, as if struck by a revelation, Hester paled, as though she had seen a ghost. "Lou could be out there, on those streets. She could perish. I could lose her," Hester muttered, recoiling from the table as if repulsed. The grim reality seeped into her very being. This wasn't her realm. What if death held no respite? What if it meant being ensnared between this world's fabric and hers? "Hester, darling," Dr. Colbar began, extending his hand slowly. "Stay away from me!" Hester cried, bolting for the door, leaving behind a stunned silence. Cara moved to follow, but Carter caught her wrist, shaking his head. "Let her gather herself, sister," he urged, his voice calm but concerned. "Hester just needs time," he added, his furrowed brow betraying his own struggle to believe his words.

Hester dashed through the bustling mall, pushing aside strangers in her haste to escape. Anywhere but here. Tears streamed down her cheeks, a stark contrast to the chaos around her. She shouldn't allow herself to be sidetracked. Finding her friend should be her sole focus. Yet, ironically, it was the one task she hadn't been able to concentrate on. Despite the stares of passersby, no one attempted to intervene. Each step propelled her forward as if fleeing an impending catastrophe.

Frantically scanning her surroundings, Hester's gaze fell upon a modest storage room. Without hesitation, she altered her course and made a beeline for the refuge it offered. Slamming the door shut behind her, she found herself enveloped in the dimly lit confines of the room, illuminated only by a flickering light bulb overhead. With trembling hands, she secured the lock, her ragged breaths echoing in the confined space.

Collapsing to her knees, Hester surrendered to the overwhelming flood of emotions. Before she could even gather her composure, she was sobbing like a tall child. Her tears rushed down her face like waterfalls of despair. Alone in the dimly lit room, her quiet sobs muffled the sounds from outside. As she choked on her sobs, she found an odd, but comforting solace in the quiet, isolated storage room.