A Happier Time

Kathy is on her hands and knees scrubbing the kitchen floor. It seems like she has been doing this for years. Her back aches. And the left side of her head hurts like hell! Her mind wanders to a happier time when she was a little girl. She and her brother would swim at the lake in Inwood, Indiana. The cool water would wash away the heat of the day.

She looks up to see her husband; his face is twisted in anger. He kicks her in the ribs and she falls over writhing in pain. “You stupid bitch! How long does it take to clean the floor? Get off your lazy ass and finish. Then do the dishes. There must be a hundred in the sink!” Kathy replies, “Yes dear.” She holds her ribs and rolls over onto her knees.

Her ribs feel broken but she knows not to complain. She finishes the floor and then starts on the mountain of dishes. Her hands are raw and bleeding and her feet are so swollen that she feels they may fall off at any moment. And the left side of her head hurts like hell!

Her mind wanders to a happier time. Kathy loved the rain, especially a cooling rain.

When the rains came, she would run outside and dance around pretending she was a fairy. Her brother called her a loon, but her parents would laugh with delight. She loved the smell fresh rain made on the grass and trees.

Kathy feels a blinding pain at the right side of her head. She leans over the sink to gather her strength. She turns to see her husband; his face is twisted in anger. He has a large frying pan in his hand. “You stupid bitch! How long does it take to wash dishes?

Finish them then clean the toilet. It smells like someone took a dump in there!”

Kathy replies, “Yes dear.” She feels the right side of her head. It has a large lump on it. She feels like she has a concussion. But she knows not to complain. She finishes the dishes and then starts on the toilet. She feels like she is going to vomit the stench is so bad. Her arms are heavy and feel like lead. And the left side of her head hurts like hell!

Her mind wanders to a happier time. It was Christmas morning. She opened a large box to discover the popular doll of the season. First she cried and then shouted with excitement. She asked how her parents managed to get this doll, as the stores had been sold out for weeks. Her father winked and assured her that he had his connections.

Kathy can’t breathe. Her head is being held under the filthy toilet water. A hand grabs her hair and roughly pulls her out. She falls to her knees, gagging and trying to catch her breath. She looks up to see her husband; his face is twisted in anger. “You stupid bitch! How long does it take to clean the toilet? Finish the toilet and then vacuum the carpet. It looks like someone poured sand all over it!” Kathy replies, “Yes dear.” She can barely breathe. She feels like she is going to catch pneumonia, but she knows not to complain. She continues to clean the toilet, but a thought pops into her head. ‘Keep thinking how much pain and misery I’m in. No happy thoughts.’

She sneaks into her husband’s study. Her spine feels like it’s going to snap in two. She goes to her husband’s desk and pulls out a drawer. And the left side of her head hurts like hell! She removes his handgun and inspects it. It is fully loaded. The thought of freedom makes Kathy smile. A happy thought! Kathy feels something cold and hard pressed against her left temple. “You stupid bitch! I have two guns." Kathy sees a bright splash of color and hears a whooshing sound...and then... Kathy is on her hands and knees scrubbing the kitchen floor. It seems like she has been doing this for years. Her back aches and the left side of her head hurts like hell!