By Beverly Brown
She stood at the window watching the rain come down. It made a soothing sound as it fell onto the metal roof.
Matt walks in from the kitchen. He puts his arms around her and she quickly brushes them off. She walks out of the room and into the bathroom hoping he wouldn’t follow.
Her ribs were bruised like it just happened yesterday. She kept telling herself over and over in her head it was an accident and he didn’t mean to do it but the bruises spoke for themselves.
Her heart had all it could take every time she looked at herself in the mirror. She felt unworthy, disgusting, but yet above all … trapped.
She’s never told anyone and when anyone came over she would just hide herself in the bedroom. Matt even forced her to quit her job because he wanted to know where she was all the time. If another man was to hit on her then it was automatically her fault for that.
Her thoughts were more than she could handle so she snuck into her room and quietly unfolded her bedsheets. She slipped on her PJs and with a large tear slowly running down her cheek she covered up holding her blankets tightly to her.
The next day she awoke to the winds howling through the trees. She put on her big sweatshirt and walked into the kitchen. Matt had already started the coffee as it was almost through dripping. His empty coffee mug sat all alone on the kitchen table empty.
She looked around the house and he was nowhere to be seen. His vehicle was still in the yard and the garage door was locked. The morning newspaper was still laying on the front porch where the deliverer tossed it and Matt’s key were still hanging on the keyrack.
She walked over to the cupboard and grabbed herself a coffee mug. She started to pour herself a cup when she heard the front door slam. She quickly turned around and there stood Matt with his rifle at hand. She sat her coffee down really quickly and leaned up against the counter.
Matt walked over and poured himself a cup of nice hot coffee. He took one sip then walked over by her. He tried to kiss her. She turned her head. He slapped her face and tried to kiss her again. She turned her head again.
He grabbed the top of her head aggressively and held her head to give her a kiss. She tried to escape from his embrace but every time he cornered her.
He took his cup of coffee that he just poured and threw it at her. She screeched as it burnt into her skin. He grabbed hold of her but she was in too much pain to fight it at this point.
But she knew where it was heading.
The wind was still howling even stronger at this point. A tree branch fell across the window right beside them creating a loud thug. She broke from his embrace as she sidetracked him and nudged him in between. She ran outside grabbing her car keys on the way out.
She ran really fast crying the entire time. When she reached her car her hand slapped against the window as she was trying to unlock the door. Her long blonde hair kept getting into her view of the keyhole. When she finally got it unlocked she saw Matt staggering out the front door with his rifle in hand. She turned the ignition on and accelerated quickly leaving 23 Blue Ridge Road in the dust.
Matt was arrested for domestic assault. She still remained traumatized from all of his abuse. He has been like this for a few years but recently has gotten worse. He used to just be possessive and controlling and then the abuse escalated.
She knew the only way she could turn her life around was to leave. She was too scared before in fear of what he would do. But by staying she knew her life was on the line.
She undressed and stepped into the warm shower as flashbacks of Matt took over her thoughts. She began to shake all over. She looked all around her and knew he wasn’t there. That gave her comfort but she was still shattered within.
Staring at every burn mark, every bruise, and every scar, the tears just poured out and she silently cried.
Abuse comes in many forms. Abuse can be silent or it can be known. It can be a man or it can be a woman. It can be a child or it can be an adult. But no matter what kind of abuse it is, it will always be scary.
No one deserves to be abused. If you or you know someone that is being abused or has been abused please contact The Hope & Justice Project. Or call the hotline at 1-800-439-2323.
Abuse doesn’t have to happen and today, you can stop it. Make that move, take that step and live for you!
