"I didn't mean-"Drae tried soft and despairingly. But Minnie cut her off with an exasperated snap this time,"silence!"
Drae's next words got trapped in her throat as Minnie pushed power into her, binding her mouth shut. It was another familiar tactic her stepmother used to keep Drae's "little visions" in check. Minnie leaned over, threatening Drae's personal space. "You listen good, little sight-seer. You're not going to fuck this up. I am working too long and too hard to put tomorrow night's celebration together for you, to find you a suitable mate and stop all this ridiculous visions nonsense. Never forget the strength my power, girl. You will not make a fool of me. Understand?" All Drae could do is nod.
"Excellent." The poison of her threat, dripped from Minnie's voice, but not her eyes. Drae could see in that moment just how much her stepmother despised everything about her. And another piece of her broken heart chipped away. Drae cast a beseeching glance to the other faces around their large banquet table. Her twin brothers both got very interested in cutting their steaks, while her father pretty much checked out all together. He'd buried his nose in the local news app on his new Galaxy S20. Her gaze landed back on Minnie's cool, triumphantly smug expression, and Drae had had enough.
Drae pushed back from the table so hard, her chair nearly pitched her onto the floor. She found that she could speak again and put her voice to good use. "Fuck you, Minerva. Fuck you all." She stalked out of the dining room to the sound of her brother's laughter and the overly dramatic insulted gasp Minnie had incorporated into her act. "Do you hear that! Do you hear how that little bitch speaks to me!?" If her father offered any defense on her behalf, or any words at all, Drae didn't hear it.

To be continued... thanks for reading!

© LaKeisha Hart

#shortstory #mystery-thriller #writco #writers #writer #fantasy #fantasy-fiction