Never Again

Silently, she lies there listening to sirens off in the distance, On the bed where they just recently enjoyed each other’s passion. The neighborhood dogs, barking at the noise in the night, are taken inside by their owners. Tears streak down her cheeks knowing that never again would she make love to him. Never again would they kiss and make up; Never again would they laugh together until it hurt; Never again would she stare intently into his deep, dark eyes; Never again would she cuddle with him in the dark of the night; Never again would he strike her in anger; Never again would he leave bruises all over her body; Never again would he overpower her with his brute strength; Never again would she lie about how she got another black eye. She loved him too much to find fault with his behavior; Surely, somehow, she must have deserved the full force of his wrath. She hated him too much to continue to endure the pitiful look in his eyes As if asking, why do you allow me to treat you like a whore? Flashing lights of blue and red reflected off the corners of the bedroom wall. Neighbors, dressed in bathrobes, pointed the police officers to the window of her room. The gun which pierced the silence of the night with six rapid, successive blasts Slipped from her fingers, landing on the floor next to the lifeless body of her man.