When Love Just Isn't Enough

She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. “Do not challenge me.”

Struggling to stand, Amanda rose on her hands and knees. Eventually, she stood on her feet. Her legs were wobbly and her hands shaking. There was blood dripping from her lip. Her glasses were broken so her surroundings were blurry. She felt as if she had fought the worst and most difficult battle in her life and she probably felt that way because it was true.

Amanda was tired. Every day, it was the same thing: wake up, coffee, breakfast, read, work a 10 hour shift at the factory, come home, make dinner, get abused by her loving husband, go to bed, and struggle to sleep.

           Amanda was always relieved when he wasn’t there. She didn’t even bother to find out where he was. He wouldn’t tell her anyway.

           No one knew about Amanda’s situation. She preferred it that way. There would be too much judgment. Too many questions. People would wonder why Amanda wouldn’t just leave. The answer is that it’s not that simple. It’s just not. People don’t understand.

           It wasn’t always like this, of course. Of course, there was a time when he was sweet and caring and took care of Amanda. As soon as they got married, that all went away.

           And by then, it was too late.

           It started over some stupid argument. Amanda couldn’t even remember what it was about now. It didn’t matter. Amanda never did anything right.

           Most of the time, it was just minor bumps and bruises. Every now and then, the results were bigger. Cuts on the eyebrow, or swollen face. Big, purple bruises on Amanda’s back. Most of the evidence could be covered though. But lately, it was getting harder and harder. Amanda was getting angry. Amanda was very tired.

           One night, she decided she had had enough.

           She had gotten home from the factory thirty minutes later than usual. And he was pissed. Everybody had to stay later because the machine broke down towards the end of the shift. They had to get the production numbers for the day.

           “Where have you been?!” he screamed as she came through the door.

           “Working,” she replied coolly.

           “But it’s after six, and you’re just now getting home!”

           “Yes, we had to stay late.”

           “Why?” he demanded.

           “Because the machine broke down and we had thirty more parts to run. They wanted us to get it done before we left.”

           “Well, you could’ve called.”

           “I couldn’t leave.”

           “Yeah. I’m sure.”

           “Okay.” Amanda probably should’ve made more of an effort to apologize and make it up to him but honestly, what was the point? She knew what would happen either way.

           All hell would break loose.

           And then it did.

           Amanda made the mistake of turning her back on him and as soon as she did, he grabbed her from behind and slammed her against the wall. He had his hand against the back of her head, pushing her face into the wall.         

           Amanda didn’t even cry out. She had been waiting for this.

           While keeping her head against the wall, he continued to scream in her ear about what a terrible person she was. How inconsiderate she was. Okay. She had heard it all before.

           Now she had to wait for her moment.

           He turned her around, slamming her back against the wall, one hand on her throat. Squeezing.

           Amanda didn’t take her eyes off his face as he threatened to kill her.

           Anything was probably better than this, right?

           Amanda didn’t put up a fight or say a word. Dissatisfied with her lack of emotion, he let her go. He turned around and walked away.

           His mistake.

           Amanda touched her face. Already, there were scratch marks and she felt a bruise starting to form. When would this stop? Why was this happening to her anyway? What had she done? She worked thirty minutes over. That’s it.

           She didn’t deserve this and she knew it. She had known for a long time. She just didn’t know what to do about it.

           She just knew she couldn’t take it anymore.

           He was walking away like this was just some casual encounter. Like he didn’t just shove his wife’s face in the wall and threaten to kill her for coming home thirty minutes late. And he would just get away with it. Again. And again. And again.

           No. Not this time.

           Amanda couldn’t let it happen again. This had to be the last time.

           She run up behind him and leaped onto his back. She wrapped her arm around his throat. He cried out and tried to throw her off of his back but her grip was too strong. He backed into a wall again, only this time with her on his back. It hurt. Amanda couldn’t hold on anymore.

           She fell off his back.

           He turned to face her, angry now. Very angry. Shit, Amanda thought. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Amanda tried to push him away but he was too strong. She did the only thing she could think of.

           She punched him in the face.

           Now he was really angry. He also seemed extremely surprised at this turn of events. Amanda never so much as verbally argued back with him when he had his fits. This was a whole new thing for both of them.

           With his hand over his mouth, he looked at Amanda for a long time. Then he returned the favor and punched her in the face, too.

           It was like being hit with a brick. Amanda finally understood what it meant to see stars. She felt her glasses fall off and her lip split open. He had never done this before.

           Amanda decided right then and there that he never would again. Not to her, at least.

           With a sudden burst of strength, Amanda knocked him to the ground. She was sitting on top of him, on his torso. He was reaching his arms up to her neck, ready to squeeze the life out of her. For real this time. Amanda couldn’t die this way. She had come too far. She shoved his arms down and pinned them underneath her knees. Then she struck his face over and over and over again. That beautiful face that lured her to this hell so long ago. She wanted nothing more to destroy it.

           Amanda ran out of energy. All the adrenaline she had was now slowing down in her veins. She stopped. Her husband was now a bloody mess beneath her. He wasn’t moving. Her hands and shirt were covered in blood. Her eyes were blurry, her lip was busted open. She knew what she had to do next.

Run.

He would find her. He may even report her to the police. Either way, she needed to go.

She needed to be free. Finally free. It would not be an easy road, but she couldn’t be here anymore. She finally broke the chains that were binding her for so long.

As Amanda was cleaning herself off and packing a bag, she heard him start to move around. She looked at him, never taking her eyes off of him. He looked like he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. “Do not challenge me.”