DYING TO STAY ALIVE
He watches as she cleans the last of the mess. She holds a bag filled with old newspapers, beer bottles, and cigarettes butts. Slowly he comes into the room, offering his assistance.
She turns and strains a smile; holding a finger to her lips she whispers, “Thank you honey, I’m fine. Go back to sleep.” She kisses his bruised cheek. He heads back to bed.
He leaves the door slightly open and watches. He prays.
His prayer is interrupted. Large feet slam onto the wooden floor, the sound resonating through the house. The Monster is awake.
He resumes his prayer. “Stop you’re hurting me!” The child begins to cry. He wants to save her, but his stinging bruise stops him.
The sounds of breaking bottles and things crashing everywhere and shouts of, “YOU LOUSY WHORE!” will always remain. But it’s just one of many times he heard his mother being slammed to the floor. The sight of his father kicking her will remain forever.
Then silence. Silence so deafening, he hears it to this very day.
Suddenly, it’s broken. “DON’T YOU RUN FROM ME YOU BITCH!” The beating begins once more.
A toilet flushing, the creak of the bed – only after the child hears these sounds, he feels they’re safe. The Monster sleeps.
A few feet away she lies crumpled on the floor, blood draining from her mouth and nose. She, too, sleeps. In darkness, he prays.
Now lay me down to sleep, I pray you Lord my Mom do keep. If I should die before she wakes, I pray You Lord my Dad do take.
For many women, scenes like this are their reality. Broke and broken, they feel trapped in their relationship. To survive, they stay with their abusers. But they’re dying to stay alive. Unfortunately, scenes like this continue to grow because, for some, it’s justified. Someone on their WordPress site, (you know who you are) said, “I can feel no remorse or compassion towards such women, they wanted the bad guy and still they have the audacity to complain? Did anyone put a shotgun to your head and told you to hook up with him?”
I ask that person to look at the young woman in the photo, look hard and ask yourself…what woman deserves that?
These women don’t need our judgment, they need our help. Fortunately, many abused women do escape their abusers, many times with just the clothes on their backs.
Let’s help. For our GOOD FRIDAY, donate one article of clothing to a battered woman’s shelter. Come back on Friday and share your experience. And as always, keep your head up.
Cop A Squat 
I can’t in good conscience push the ‘Like’ button, but I wanted to let you know how powerful this post is. As a child who grew up in a house with an abusive father (my mother eventually escaped with us to America), this story and the photo were all too familiar and visceral. Important to share and I like your suggestion of donating to the battered women’s shelter. ~ Ayanna Nahmias
What a powerful article. Scenes like this are all too real and happen everyday in our world. But posts like these can truly help the women in need. Thank you for sharing this.
Hi alleyandthemovies,
Unfortunately, you’re so right, scenes like this happen all too often. One day men everywhere will wake up and treat women like the treasures they are. Thank you for you comment.
~ Paul Worthington
Hello Ayanna Nahmias,
I am so sorry to hear about your childhood experience. I am truly remorseful this post has churned up your past. I wish you and your family peace and happiness. Thank you for your kind words.
~ Paul Worthington
This will not be forgotten. Thank you for writing. ~Sonya
Thank you.
How can anyone be so callous as to imply that battered women “ask” to be beaten? Whoever that idiot poster is, she must be a visitor from the Dark Ages; hopefully, she hasn’t spawned any children, especially male ones. Battered women suffer not only physical abuse, but a vicious cycle of humiliation, isolation, and emotional manipulation which brings about learned helplessness and dependence upon their aggressors. Somehow, they feel responsible for the abuse. Thank goodness there are safe places where they can go to get help, once they make that decision. Donating clothing to a women’s shelter is a great way to help out.