The weight of the inquiry settled like a rock in my gut. Big John. Just hearing his name painted brutal images in my mind, a relentless force that crushed everything it touched. Knowing he threatened my family - my mother, sister, and the fragile foster kids depending on me - made my blood run cold. Was I strong enough to face him head-on? Everything stacked against me seemed insurmountable. Winning meant I’d have to be clever, fearless, and wrestle with a quiet panic lurking beneath the surface. The only other possibility was letting his merciless wrath destroy us all, a reality I could never agree to. I knew deep down that standing still was the same as losing. Our lives balanced on a razor’s edge. The option wasn’t whether to combat, yet just how to make it through the storm with the people I loved still breathing.