It took him ten years to condition her, to bend her to his will. Like a metal worker bending a straight pipe, it was a thousand small strikes to her core self until he had her trained. She learned when he raised his left eyebrow it meant be still. If he slammed the door in a certain way when he came home from work she knew that she’d feel his cold silent disdain all evening. In public gatherings she learned to sit quietly by his side as he carried on with stories she’d heard a thousand times, which somehow always seemed to elicit loud guffaws from the men around the table. The wives, like her, sat quietly, waiting for the bartender to yell out, “Last call!”
At bedtime when he sang a certain song in the shower, her body began to tremble, as his sexual demands were extreme on those nights. Tremors shook her when the water from the shower ended. Naked and dripping as he walked into bedroom, he would flip the light on to make sure she saw his leer before commencing.
So arrogant was he in the certainty of the completion of her subjugation that he never saw the knife, only her eyes staring into his as the blade crossed his throat.
The End
Please note: this is a FICTITIOUS — even fantasy — story, especially the end. I in no way advocate violence as a way to get out of such a situation.
Analogy about bending a pipe is taken from “Surviving Domestic Violence: Voices of Women Who Broke Free” by Elaine Weiss, a book that helped me immeasurably on my journey out of a battering relationship many moons ago. I highly recommend the book for anyone who is in a battering and/or narcissistic abuse situation or knows a loved one who is in one.
Michael is the host of Mindlovemisery Menagerie’s Tale Weaver. Michael says:
This week consider your response to the word ‘tremor’. It could be in reference to an earthquake, a feeling of apprehension or excitement.
image link here
Tao Talk 
Strangle interesting drawing
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The knife was a bit drastic, as she could have just left him.
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In reality, absolutely. In fiction, the b*st*rd got what he deserved.
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I love a happy ending! 😈
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LMAO I’m glad you can appreciate the ending.
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Love the story…he reaped what he sowed. No, leaving is not good enough for some people.
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Max, you are 100% right. Statistically confirmed again and again is the fact that the most dangerous time for anyone is when they leave a batterer (or toxic narcissist.)
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It brought up a bad memory. I liked this girl in college and pleaded with her to leave this certain guy for anyone…he ended up throwing her down a flight of stairs.
I visited her in the hospital with a broke collarbone and she still made excuses for the guy! She ended up marrying 5 times…none of them good.
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:( I think a lot of what draws people to each other are things from childhood and how their parents treated them. So sorry the person was harmed and kept making bad choices.
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I’ve known guys and girls wanting that “bad boy/girl”… but usually, they outgrow that phase…but some don’t and they pay dearly with the only life they have.
I never understood if it was a maternal instinct or trying to change them…you can’t change human nature…habits yes but not their inner nature. I could be wrong.
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It’s a complicated thing, attraction and chemistry. I don’t worry about it now, as I’m free and enjoying not worrying about.
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I’m lucky I found someone and we both irritate each other in a good way lol.
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Yes, you are lucky.
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This is moving and real. One feels for her.
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Yes, it was a hell she needed to escape from, whatever it took.
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I can understand the desperation.
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