What It Feels Like for a Girl (Part 1)

Pain was the first sensation Shaun Delanyna McCartney felt when she regain consciousness after yet another fight with her boyfriend of two years. Her head ached violently and her ribs throbbed with each breath she drew. The last memory she had before blacking out was being his in the side with a baseball bat then being slammed into the wall. 1

Tentatively, she touched the side of her head that hurt the most and winced as she touched something wet on her scalp. Drawing her hand back, her fingers and part of her palm was covered in blood. Shaun forced her aching body up from the cold hardwood floor and limped into the bathroom.2

The overhead bathroom light nearly blinded her when she flipped the switch. Once her eyes had adjusted to the light, Shaun gazed into the mirror and was shocked by her appearance. Her right eye was black and blue from the left hook Daniel had thrown in her face. Bruises covered her arms and legs from where he had grabbed her as she tried to get away from him. Her bottom lip had been cut open by her teeth, the wound still oozed blood. The deep cut ner her left ear was still bleeding slowly. Once again, Daniel had continued to beat her once she was unconscious and helpless and he was satisfied.3

It was in that moment Shaun realized she needed to leave him. 'This is it! This is the last time that bastard ever lays his hands on me,' she thought as she stared at the stranger in the mirror.4

Limping from the bathroom, Shaun went over to her closet and pulled out her luggage set along with a pair of jeans and denium jacket. She tossed the jeans and jacket onto a nearby chair then hauled the suitcases over to the bed. Ignoring her body protests, she hauled them onto the bed and opened them all up, then began dumping clothes and other personal items into the cases.5

After her bags were filled, Shaun changed out of her bloodied clothes into the blue jeans, black t-shirt, and blue jean jacket she had picked out of her closet earlier. She struggled a bit as she carried the two large suitcases, duffel bag, purse, and overnight bag, to the elevator down to her waiting car. 6

She packed what she could and decided to come back for the rest of her things later, her life was far more precious than the material things inside her apartment. She needed to get away from Daniel first, especially since he had a key to her place and could return at any time. Shaun would never feel save in her own home again knowing that he could enter her apartment at his own free will.7

Shaun tossed her bags into the trunk of her Mercedes before getting into the car and starting the engine. Tears stung her lovely gray eyes until she was barely able to see the road. "No more self-pity, Shaun," she said aloud to herself. "No more tears for myself or the lost happy ending."