The Robosapyent

The fight

------------chapter 6.5 starts here------------

Isa's PoV

I watched Marcus's mom as she stood there, unmoving. She was definitely looking at dad. Her eyes blazed with anger and she stood, her muscles tightened, ready to pounce at any moment.

"I kept my promise." 

It was dad's voice... I turned around, shocked that he was trying to talk. Any exertion could cause irreversible damage to his body.

"One promise kept doesn't make up for one promise broken."

And with that, she lunged towards dad, knife ready to pierce his soft flesh.

I ran forward as quick as I could. Her surprising me had shaved valuable seconds from the time I had to react. I grabbed a metallic lamp and extended my arm  as fast as I could, hoping that it'd be in time to protect dad.

The clang of metal striking against metal sent a wave of relief through me. But this wasn't over yet. 

She looked at me. "Back off girl," She said. "This is between me and him."

"Actually, I'M between you and him," I said, pulling my knife out of my back pocket. I hadn't used this in ages. Tossing the lamp to the ground, I twirled the knife in my hand. It felt good to be holding this again after so long.

Without warning, she swung the blade at my face. I ducked backwards, dodging the swipe, but was able to feel the tip of the blade as it lightly grazed the front of my neck.

She stopped for a moment as she processed my response and attempted to devise a plan  to fight.

Using the time she had given me, I studied her attack as well, replaying it in my head as I did so. She wasn't a skilled fighter, but had obviously been practicing a fair bit. 

Under normal circumstances, I'd have beat her nine times out of ten. But I couldn't kill her. Because she was Marcus's mom.

And like that, our momentary pause was over, our knives once again arcing through the air as we battled for superiority.

The fight went on for minutes, every slice seeming to get closer and closer to drawing first blood.

But I was tiring. My moves, mostly comprising of pirouettes and dodges along with the occasional non-lethal attack were much more energy consuming than her blind attacks. 

But I had to do this. For dad. 

My will gave me new energy. To fight. To win.

I continued to repel her blows, trying to find some way of winning. Any way of winning. I dodged and ducked and jumped and dodged again. 

Finally, the opportunity presented itself.  I brought my hilt down on her hand, forcing her to release the knife. It fell, sliding across the dusty ground before finally coming to a stop five feet away from her.

I stood in front of her, ready to place my knife on her neck and make her submit. I could tie her up until a safer moment- either with a policeman or some kind of protection. But I was stopped by something I saw. It was just a glimpse, but I knew I wasn't mistaken. Outside my tent, talking to my mom, was Marcus.

I instantly regretted the lapse in my concentration. Because Marcus's mom had pulled out another knife and once again jumped towards my father. 

I knew I'd never be able to make it in time. I'd never be able to spin around with the knife and block the stab. 

Nor did I have the time to pick anything up.

So I did the only thing I could do.

I blocked the blade with my left hand.

------------chapter 6.5 ends here------------

Sad she's hurt or happy everyone's alive? :P