The Fight

At first, I was shocked and couldn't react. She looked like an innocent old lady in a wide-brimmed summer hat and a floral dress, but when you looked at her it felt like she would destroy you in a second. Especially when the charming smile that was supposed to deceive everyone took its evil form. My grandmother only seemed fragile, which only increased the feeling that at first glance you were safe from nothing.

After a while, however, I realized that if I didn't stand up now, I would never have a chance again. I tried to break free from the hug but to no avail. Grandma was too good at choosing people for the tasks she entrusted to them.

"Let me go!" I shouted with all my might. "Leave me!"

The senior woman looked down at me, as did the rest of the family. David and my brothers took somewhat defensive poses with their significant other and looked for some sign from me as to what to do.

"Leave my daughter alone," David said finally.

"My," grandmother laughed ominously. "She has nothing to do with ordinary people like you. So many years of wasting its potential." She shook her head.

"You didn't want her at all..." my father said more aggressively.

"Not a word more," the senior of the family said sharply, then turned to me at the same time, signaling the dribbler to put me on the ground, but still holding me. "Lucretia, I hope you enjoyed the freedom I have given you in the last few months, but it's over. And whoever of them makes a sound now, it will wipe them out of your mind permanently."

I felt her presence in my mind and the danger it poses. She put me up against the wall as if she was holding me at gunpoint. I couldn't afford to lose everything I experienced with them. Tears started running down my cheeks.

"She can do it," I said. "She planned it before."

"And I wish I'd done it right away earlier," the senior lady muttered. "But I gave you a chance because you reminded me of Lucia. So you will be polite and obedient from now on? One mistake and your mind will be like a blank page I will write as I see fit, understood?"

I hung my head and felt there was nothing I could do. The threat was real, especially as she added, ringing in a snappy tone in my head, that she would serve my family painful goodbye if someone else upset her. I couldn't let that happen. She watched over me, I couldn't even use my power without her knowledge and say goodbye to everyone, saying that I love them and I can handle it.

I thought of Tetsu and Kiba, the happiness they gave me, and the plans for the future that slowly smoldered in my heart, and I start to believe in a happy ending that I have always missed. Grandma just snorted "pathetic" in my head. I asked her why she wouldn't let me say something goodbye. She forbade me and ordered that we are going back.

"Nobody's going anywhere," I heard a voice familiar to me. We've already walked a few steps, but turned around. Kiba's bark was also heard in the air, followed by a menacing growl. The dog was barely holding back to rescue me, and Tetsu was aiming his gun at grandma.

"I don't think my girlfriend wants to go voluntarily. Lulu, please come to me."

He reached out to me and asked me to come over to him. I took a step toward him, but then stopped as grandma reminded me of her words. I hesitated, I wanted to be in his arms and be safe, but I couldn't expose anyone. I couldn't lose them.

"I can't," I said sadly. "She can hurt you all, I can't let that happen. Thank you for everything, but I'd better get out of your life. I prefer you to be safe."

"Lucretia," Tetsu said loudly. "And I prefer you to come over here at this point. Your family would like that too. You have nothing to do with this woman. Your heart is here."

I looked at the rest and saw that they were thinking the same but also a little scared. I didn't hold it against them. I myself felt paralyzing fear. The hesitation grew stronger.

"Enough of this," said grandma, finally irritated. "You hesitate too much. I have no intention of bothering with it. If you need stronger arguments then go ahead."

She looked at my family and I saw them falling like dominoes and clutching their heads as they struggled with the growing pain. I felt her powers working, I begged her to stop. I even got down on my knees begging her to stop hurting them. Tetsu approached us a few steps along with Kiba. Grandma dribble did not react, she clearly did not tell him. Finally, she turned her attention to my lover.

"It's a pity that you even inherited a poor taste for men from your ungrateful mother. I really got some disgraceful daughters, you think I don't know Linda helped l you to get away," she drawled.

Her power was significant, and it was painful for my family all the time, even though her eyes were on Tetsuya. It easily penetrated his mind and forced him to point the weapon at himself. She smiled ominously as if it made her happy. Kiba started barking as if he wanted to tell his master to come to his senses. Tetsu's pupils widened in fear for a moment, but then his eyesight and expression changed. Suddenly he became calm and focused on meeting my eyes as if he was telling me something.

"Can I ask you to take care of Kiba?" he whispered, as if only for me. "Maybe it's too early, but for once before I die, you'd be right to say I love you."

Grandma made me focus on making Tetsu slowly squeeze the trigger. Kiba barked madly, not knowing if he would attack her or his master if it would help. David was shouting something too, but I couldn't understand what. I closed my eyes and put my hands over my ears. I didn't want to hear anything, and I didn't want to lose anyone, but I didn't know what to do. Suddenly everything went silent, and an image of my parents flashed in my mind, which I could only create from my own's and my father's memories.

"Sweetheart," they said almost simultaneously, I felt a pang in my heart, knowing how unreal they were.

"I know grandma is powerful." Mom touched my cheek. "But you are more powerful because you have experienced true love within and outside the family. You just have to believe it now."

Dad didn't say anything, just put a hand on my other cheek and smiled. They disappeared after a while, and I came back to reality knowing I had no more time. I lunged at Tetsu just as he squeezed the trigger. Fortunately, the shot flew into the air and I turned to face Luisa.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" she asked furiously. "You don't want to face me."

"If I have to, I'll do it," I said with a confidence I had never felt before. My power was breaking out ready to fight. "I decided not to go anywhere with you! Here is my family! You'll never be part of it! You didn't want to come to terms with my existence until you found out I had powers! It was only then that you realized that I could be another tool in your hands!" I screamed.

"And what are you going to do now?" she laughed. "Your power is nothing compared to mine."

I knew what I had to do, first I had to protect everyone and protect them from her power. I felt as if someone was telling me how to direct the power. I separated several units of energy and channeled them into everyone's minds to free them from Luisa's influence. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see them trying to pull themselves together and shake off what had happened, but I was glad that they were relatively alive. I left the power to surround their mind with a kind of protective wall.

Since deed control required more energy, Luisa had to use more energy to influence Tetsu's mind, so I had to use more force to drive her out of there as well. She did not give up, which I pushed her out of his mind, and she returned with redoubled strength. She relinquished her attacks on the others, knowing I would not risk lifting the defense for them. I began to feel tired. Luisa was right, I was weaker than her and less experienced.

"You care so much about them?" she asked bitterly. "It's a pity you won't be able to protect everyone. Maybe I'll just finish them all one by one in front of your eyes? And then I will remind you of it every day, how about that? Knowing that it is your fault will torment you for the rest of your life when you politely obey my orders."

She tried to approach me and distract me with a conversation when she would attack Tetsuya's mind behind my back. She figured it out at the last minute and I wouldn't let it. I didn't envy him what he felt when two strangers in the world simply fought in his mind. We left chaos there when grandma decided to withdraw and change tactics. I was surprised and to be sure I left my shield for him, asking him to rest.

By dividing the power into so many parts, I weakened and that was what my grandmother decided to use. With all its power, it rushed over my mind. I tried to defend myself, it was like holding a door that someone is trying to open. But she quickly broke through my defenses and burst into my mind. I finally felt what it was like on the other side and felt overwhelmed by her presence. I fell to the ground. As if it suddenly fills the entire space, making me feel like a little worm. With the last of my strength, I tried to stop her from going to the next room. She didn't care but stripped me of my mental dignity piece by piece. Before her eyes, she showed me images of how she destroys my memories and how everyone I love melts into thin air.

I was losing the only fight I decided to take and the moment I give up my loved ones will be in danger. I apologized in my heart for not being too strong to protect them. Luisa was about to reset my mind, she would reach her goal. I closed my eyes and cried. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder and another presence in my mind. It was there before, moments before I saw my parents. I recognized her after a long moment.

"Auntie?"

"Linda?" grandma asked, even more, surprised than I was.

Auntie pushed Luisa out of my mind and surrounded me with a protective barrier. I was able to focus on my surroundings again. I didn't even notice when my grandma's man started to sleep soundly, and she suddenly started looking around anxiously. My aunt came up to me and smiled slightly.

"You did well. I am sorry that I came to the rescue so late and took so long to take the courage to rebel."

For a moment it was she who faced her mother, who showed great nervousness. My aunt was extremely calm and after a long moment, she dealt a heavy blow, forcing grandma to step back.

"You have to understand something, mother," Linda said. "Lucretia will never be part of our family because she has already found her own. Like Lucia did earlier, and now I will."

"What are you talking about?!" Luisa snapped.

"About the fact that I am leaving and I will not let you hurt either the girl or any of her relatives."

"You think I'll let you do that?" Grandma began to regain some confidence and smiled boldly, too confident in her power.

Suddenly she rolled her eyes and fell to the ground. Above her was Martha with a picnic basket with which she had hit the old woman on the head.

"This woman was already starting to piss me off," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear that came out from under the buckle she liked to pin up her hairstyle.

"It wasn't a very clean move, sweetheart," David said a bit, looking at his wife in admiration.

"Our family should have been left alone," she said. "What are we going to do with her now?"

"I'll take care of it," Linda muttered, checking to see if Luisa was really unconscious. "You don't have to worry about her anymore. My mother will not cause you any more trouble. Fix your family while you still have time."

She smiled and pulled out her phone to call someone. I got up and walked over to my aunt on shaky legs and gave her a hug.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"I think you could do it yourself, too," she replied.

"But are you really going to leave?"

"Yes, I've already made my decision." She stroked my head. "But for now I have to go and you go back to yours."

I didn't want to part with her for a long moment, but after a while, she pushed me away from her and calmed down. “We'll see each other again, honey. Someone has to be a bridesmaid at my wedding”.