CHAPTER TWO

17 YEARS LATER

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LYKAINA'S POV

"Lykaina!" grandma Elara shouts from the kitchen. Grandma sure has a pair of strong lungs. 

"Yes grandma I'll be down in a minute!"

I sigh and get up from my bed. Grandma Elara is always so excited in the morning. I don't know why anyone should be excited in the morning of all times. And when she takes her coffee, an elixir from hell if you ask me, she becomes more excited.

It is an elixir from hell but I sure do like to take it myself sometimes, when I'm having a rough day.

I go to my mirror and take a look at myself. I always look good even in the morning, after I wake up but for my cursed hair. The fiery red and white mess stands every which way on my head like something that was electrocuted.

"Ugh! I wonder which hair product will tame this beast on my head." I say and make a futile effort to put it in some semblance of order. 

I brush my teeth, take a quick bath, and head downstairs to join my grandmother for breakfast.

"Lykaina do you want bacon or eggs?" Grandma Elara asks looking up as I come down the stairs, while also wearing her oven mitts to bring out the muffins she made this morning.

"Bacon grandma, you know I don't like eggs." I say in reply to her question.

"A girl your age should watch what you eat, eggs are healthy. I don't know why you have such an ungodly taste for meat in any form."

"Because they are delicious, and even more so because you make it." I say while coming up to her and smacking a loud kiss on her cheeks.

Grandma laughs and makes me a plate of everything she made for breakfast excluding the eggs, thank you very much.

"Today is your first day at that big university you've always wanted to attend. Tardiness is not the way to begin your exciting journey there." Grandma says whilst fixing her own plate.

"I know, I won't be late, I promise. Besides, today is just for registration and orientation." I say as I try to eat as much of my breakfast as I can.

"I was once a student myself my dear, some lecturers like to assess their students from the very first day. Just try not to be late." Grandma says and pats my hand.

"I know Grandma, besides I am too excited to be anything but early." I say with a huge grin on my face.

Grandma laughs and starts eating the oats she made for herself.

I finish my breakfast as fast as I could, gathered up my plates and the pans and spoons grandma used in cooking and take them to the sink. After washing up I go to my room and dress up for the day.

"Bye, grandma." I say to Grandma Elara as I come down the stairs ready to be on my way to school. I turn to grab the door knob and I felt it then.

My grasp on something I have never been able to understand. Something that I have been able to do ever since I was a child. Something Grandma with all her money has never been able to solve.

"Lykaina, breathe in and breathe out." I could hear grandma Elara's voice, and her hand trying to hold me, but it sounded and felt to me like it was coming from a very far place.

The pressure was already building inside me. 

I tried to breathe in and out just as she has

always taught me to do and which has always worked, but this thing is not going to be silenced with a breathing exercise today. Instead It feels like it needs to come out.

I could feel its desires like they weren't my own desires as well. I clench my fingers as if doing that could hold it back, suddenly a pleasurable coolness licks down my spine, causing me to arch into the feeling.

The window rattled violently and I could see the curtains moving with a swishing sound as if moved by a strong wind whereas there was none.

Grandma Elara gasps and I turn losing more control in the process thinking with a sickening horror that perhaps I may have hurt her in this madness.

I turn just in time to see the kitchen ware, at least those that weren't hung somewhere or put into any place float all about the sitting room.

The feeling continues to build in my core, tightening my core and making my hair float around my head. The feeling moves from my core to my chest in an almost painful way.

I gasp and felt it move out of me in a wave, all the floating utensils all come crashing down with a resounding crash.

"Oh Lykaina, are you alright?" Grandma Elara was all over me, her hands testing my hair, my hands, my body.

"Grandma, that has never happened before." I say in a voice that feels suddenly dry and hollow.

"I know baby, I know." She says hugging me tightly to herself.

After calming myself using the breathing technique grandma taught me, I gathered my things and left for school. 

Just great timing this thing had to come today, it has ruined my plans of being early to school.

ELARA 

I look out the window as the light that came into my life exactly seventeen years ago goes out to face the world.

 I sit down heavily on the sofa closest to me.

"Oh, Lykaina." Tears roll down my eyes.

I can still remember the night I found the baby in a very worn basket on my front porch with a note hastily written in the basket like it was yesterday, her name was written on the card.

I was torn between taking the baby to the police station and reporting how I found the baby, or take the baby to an orphanage home where she will be cared for but when she opened her very strange eye, black eye with a pure white pupil, I knew I was done for. 

From that day I knew she was my daughter but she likes to call me grandma, I guess it is because of my age. I chuckle as the years I've spent with her flash by my eyes.

I have tried all I can to control and even solve the unexplainable things Lykaina has been able to do but all to no avail. 

Her powers or whatever that is just keeps getting stronger as the years go by. I want to keep her safe, so getting her poked and prodded by scientists won't be of any help to her.

I really hope it doesn't ruin her plans to have a normal college experience.

 I give out a shuddering breath and stand up to lock the door.