Sally you can do this. You know you can. You’ve worked hard to temper the beast – this is just a test. You always – ALWAYS! – ace tests so why not this one, too?
Sally’s shoulders sagged. The inner encourager was right and she knew it. But it’s hard! So hard she wanted to shout. Why can’t I be like the others? Why must I keep falling down when they just skip merrily along?
Her eyes slid back over her shoulder for another look into the bakery case. Sally could feel the saliva begin as she eyed tray after tray of brightly iced cakes, cupcakes and meringues.
“Steven if you don’t get me out of here this minute I cannot answer for what will happen. Dieting is a bit. . . , erm, beast and your daily stops for “just one cupcake and a mocha†are about to do me in. I almost cursed just then. That’s how upset I am. You say you love me? Then show it and get me out of here right now.
Steven paid for his snack, placed it into Sally’s lap and pushed her chair out into the sunlight. “Fine, Sally, we’re going. Look in the bag; I bought you a cookie, too. It’s your favorite kind.â€
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Author’s note: Every nine seconds a woman in the U.S. is abused in some fashion. Abuse is insidious and can be verbal, emotional, physical, sexual, and a myriad of other ways. Caregiver abuse is often more under-reported than abuse of the “able bodied.†Even tempting someone with forbidden sweets, taking them places over which they have no control can be an abusive action.
If you are – or if you know someone who is – abused, the national hotline number is 1-800-799-SAFE.
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Trifecta’s Week 11 Challenge is BEAST, using the third definition.
beast noun \ˈbēst\
1 a: a four-footed mammal as distinguished from a human being
b: a lower animal as distinguished from a human being
c: an animal as distinguished from a plant
d : an animal under human control
2: a contemptible person
3: something formidably difficult to control or deal with
You gave me something to think about. Abuse can take on so many different shapes.
After laughing out loud at your purple moose, I was pushed backward at your story. Wow.
Sabotageurs: miserable people making others miserable too.
This is definitely food for thought. I know that there is so much abuse that is subtle, and I caught on to this one before the ending, but it’s still very thought provoking.
Interesting take on the prompt. Sort of passive abuse but still harmful.
I had never really thought about that kind of abuse, nor connected it to caregiver abuse. Essentially, he’s killing her slowly. Nasty.
Great job, Barbara, with taking the prompt and running off in a new direction with it. If the cookie were vodka and the dieter an alcoholic, the abuse would be more easily recognized. Nicely done. Come back Friday for our new weekend prompt!
Interesting twist. I agree, this one’s a thinker. Thank you.