(Photo Credit: Flickr)
Laura had trouble sleeping, she watched enviously as her husband slept soundly like a baby. She closed her eyes and willed her body to relax, fifteen minutes later, it worked, and she drifted off into a fitful sleep. Claps of thunder woke her up hours later, reluctantly, she opened her eyes and listened as flashes of light competed in a show of power. However, amidst the thunderous symphony, she also detected a faint but familiar sound, she listened and froze with fright when she realised it was the voice of Anna, her fourteen year old daughter.
She turned to touch her husband, but he wasn’t there. Panicking, she leapt out of bed and slowly crept down the stairs. Someone was in her home, a stranger. Her heart in her mouth, she moved stealthily, afraid to alert the intruder. By now, Anna was howling, Laura threw caution to the wind and breezed into the kitchen, grabbed a large knife and dashed into her daughter’s room.
Ashley, her husband of eighteen mouths was lying on top of her daughter, naked waist down. Anna stopped crying when she saw her mother and Laura felt alien, as she seemed to move out of her body… Swiftly, she raised the knife above her head.
………..
Two years later, Anna walked briskly down a hallway, her heart beating with love. It was Valentines Day, and, the love of her life is in prison. Many people called her mother a beast, but she knew that it was her Step-father who was the real beast. He had repeatedly raped her, threatening to kill her mother if she uttered a single word to a living soul. As far as Anna was concerned, the death of Ashley was a welcome relief. Her mother would be out in a couple of years, and with her mother by her side, life couldn’t be better. They would live happily ever after!
………….
NP: I am a realistic writer, if you’ve read any of my books, you should know by now that I’m not afraid to tackle difficult subjects, and this was a very difficult topic for me to write. Many women are trapped in abusive relationships, where their partners are raping or had raped their daughters – it’s an ugly scenario. But it could be stopped: there are warning signs really, when your partner is unduly interested in your daughter, that leery, lustful look is often too glaring to hide, (mind you, not all Step-fathers are Ashley!) Left for me, I wish all marriages ended with ‘the happily ever after theme,’ but that would be living in a fairy tale world. Even though I don’t support what Laura did, the beast in some people cannot be tamed, they can only be stopped!
………….
Where there are beasts, there are also saints. Like Hugh Mackay would say: ‘ Nothing is perfect. Life is messy. Relationships are complex. Outcomes are uncertain. People are irrational.’
I hope you’ll all have a pleasant week. I’ll be back on Thursday with a very interesting topic in my ‘happily ever after theme!’
Much love, always!
🙂 🙂
Seyi Sandra David 
This stunned me. As you say, all too often this takes place, and I would do the same if it were my kids involved I think .
Enjoy the rest of your week Seyi.
I wrote the story based on a story I heard from a man who worked with young people. It happens often, and it’s very sad indeed. I guess I can’t predict how I would react if I were to be in Laura’s shoes. A samurai sword would come in handy then! (But I may forgive too, who knows? )
Have a pleasant week too Al!
🙂
Someone hurt my son so that he has been affected for the rest of his life, and there is no way I could ever talk to the other person again. I say I have forgiven him because to not do so would eat me up inside, but it is one of those “forgivens” that you do but will never talk to the other person or interact with them again.
I understand Al, and believe me forgiveness is hard but you just have to let go or you’ll be killing yourself inside. You don’t have to be buddies with them anymore, but you’re doing yourself a huge favour and you’ll have peace.
And peace is always good. Especially when you consider the alternative
Yeah Al, it is! 🙂
There are harsh realities in life and I think writing about them can help others process through them. There were some in my book. I got a nasty review coming in the next couple of days. I wanted honesty, but that’s not the point. The reviewer questioned my inclusion of rape and abortion issues and said that the book should be flagged for triggers. Now I empathize and wrote on these with sensitivity. I Have stellar reviews even mentioning that fact. I think to flag works for such triggers is sexist. We have murder, bloody gore, and weird sex in tons of books that aren’t flagged for triggers. Have you ever heard of such?
No I haven’t dear friend, and I do believe that’s just the reviewer’s opinions. Don’t take it to heart, such issues raised in your book and my story happens in real life. Even it could be more gorier than we’ve written. Just delete such unwholesome comment from your mind.
Thanks for stopping by, hope to see you again!
Blessings. 🙂
This was shocking, as well as being also gritty and real… I can only say that your ability to bring life to words is brave and your talent is large. You, my dear, are a writer to go far.
Your kindness always amaze me, thanks for that beautiful compliment. God bless you richly!
Blessings. 🙂
Kudos for your bravery in tackling such a difficult subject.
Thanks, it wasn’t easy, and the most disturbing part was that some part of the story was true, I just changed the names and the conclusion.
Hope you continue to write. I know that writing about true events and situations can sometimes be very difficult, especially when the subject matter is controversial, politically incorrect or disturbingly true. Try to keep your own balance and preserve your own integrity! Looking forward to more posts by you!
Oh thanks so much for that word of encouragement… I’ll definitely write till the day I die, anything in the contrary is tantamount to prison. While I had a day job, I dreamt of stories, both true and fiction, and now that I do it full time, it’s so liberating!
I hope to see you here often, or you could order one of my books too… if you dare! 🙂 🙂
I truly appreciate your visit dear friend!
Much love. 🙂
Disturbing, gritty, real…all of those things. Very hard to read because of the subject, yet easy to read due to the quality. Thanks
Thanks for your kind comment Mark, I’m happy you liked it even though it wasn’t pleasant to read. Do stop by again!
Blessings. 🙂
Ugly as it is, the story is repeated over and over again far too many times.
That’s the most annoying part. If only society (ordinary people like us) could devise a way to stop such heinous crimes!
Powerful.
Thanks Jackie!
This brought a chill to my bones. Sadly – it happens. How sick & disturbing. Too many evil people in this world.
While I was reading this, I had goose pimples on my upper arms. You brought out what many people are even afraid to whisper. Women trapped in loveless relationships – children trapped, and destroyed through such relationships. For this short piece, you should receive an award! Well done Seyi!
Christy Nelson.
Thank you for your helpful comment Christy. I hope by speaking and writing about such a difficult subject, people would have the courage to face their fears and leave before such situations turn into tragic stories.
I am positive your post did just that! Keep up the good work. The pen is mightier than the sword!!
🙂 🙂
Too many… Thanks for stopping by Rosy!
Love and hugs!
Well written, Sandra. I would have done the same if it were me, but I would first slash off his genitals! Incidentally, my novel in progress is based on a similar theme – incest! And for the life of me, I am at a loss to understand why people shy away from this subject.
Look Sandra, almost everyday in Ghana here, such stories about in the Newspapers! Oh yes!. Incest is live here, though I don’t have the statistics. And yet we would rather pretend it does not happen because the subject is well, taboo. They should give me a break!
Sorry for the sounding off – such issues get at me! 🙂
That’s what I’m talking about, nobody can mess with my sis!!! The genital slashing bit would have hurt more than permanently silencing him. I would love to read your novel when it’s out. Incest is a heinous crime, and people always shy away from talking about it! It more or less showed how despicable such crimes are.
It’s horrible that it happens often in Ghana, the same in Nigeria though they hardly report it! You are not sounding off, that’s why we’re friends, we hate almost the same things! Thanks for stopping by!
🙂 🙂
What a horrible, realistic story and it is very good that you wrote about it, it’s sad but but it happens all around us, in family, round our school institute, neighbors, everywhere, and it have to be told and repeat, if you love your children………….leave and if you don’t have the guts ask for help, maybe never come to kill someone but I can totally understand ! Thanks Seyi and have a great day 🙂 !
I agree, the horror of it is beyond comprehension! Like you rightly said, it would have been better if Laura had left but she didn’t and by the time she found out, it was more than she could bear.
Thanks for your visit and constructive comment! Do enjoy the rest of your week.
Blessings. 🙂
Thanks Sandra and have a great evening 🙂 !
Stunningly powerful, and yes, it does happen all too often…
It does my friend!
As horrible as it is, it must be told. Too many mother’s fail to protect their daughters. Honestly I think that mother should of got off. Self defense/protecting her daughter. But worth the jail time and her daughter’s respect.
I thought so too, but I think the law would assume she attacked first which was why she got off lightly on manslaughter. It’s worth it though!
Great……….. 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
welcome… 🙂
Hey beautiful Seyi 😉
I truly hate these stories. But, there are so many of them and this is a real problem. Sadly, most don’t end with the mother killing, avenging or even believing her daughter.
I am counseling someone now, who this happened to them 27 years ago, but her mother chose not to believe her. She believed him (a boyfriend) over her daughter.
This doubles the defilement.
There is so much evil around us.
Blessings my dear…
JC
You’re right, I wonder the pain such a person would have gone through! Thanks for your visit my friend!
Blessings.
That is a stark and powerful reminder of such hidden things that go on but also the sacrifice of Laura is something as well. It is one of those posts I love to ponder on…and I will…I like it when you challenge me! Have a great weekend my friend!
Good to read that you’re challenged, hope you’ll ruminate on it (my literature teacher used to say that) Do enjoy the rest of your weekend!
🙂