threestares

the woman felt intense pain. it came, not from the weight on her chest, but from her soul. in that moment she realized that he whom she loved was gone and the person he had become was assaulting her. in that moment of clarity she knew she was now in a fight for her own survival. she contemplated her options and realized that she was at his mercy.

as she waited for an opportunity she realized she had disassociated. in the in between world where she was completely detached from her body, but aware she had done so, she had a fleeting sense of peace. it was denial, and it called to her. she pulled back and felt herself slam into her own body. she knew that she had to stay present, she had to escape.

with her hand she groped the carpet, feeling around in the rubble for something, anything to help her. she felt her fingers close in around her keys. she paused, and pictured herself slamming them into his temple. she braced herself, prepared herself for action. and he rolled. in that split second she jumped up and scrambled across the room. she pulled the door as she felt his hand on her leg. in despair she ran out onto the deck. he followed.

on some level she thought of the neighbours. she ran onto the lawn and turned. as if in a macabre movie his foot caught on the christmas lights and he hit the deck, hard. in the aftermath, when he tried to blame her for what he had done, she felt a terrible calm descend around her. at last she knew what she would do, she would go, whatever the cost.