'Til Death Do Us Part

This story contains some harsh language, violence and a minor (not even 1/3) amount of sexual images. Just be warned...1

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I walked in the house with white roses in one hand and chocolates in the other. A bottle of white wine was tucked under my left arm and a neatly wrapped package under the right. My face was lit up like I was a kid on Christmas and my heart was full of happiness. 3

“Babe, I’m home,” I yelled lying the package on the entrance hall table. I placed the chocolates beside them and headed for the stairs with flowers and wine in hand.4

“Babe you here?” I asked placing my foot on the first stair. My heart began to race a little because of the lack of response. I had seen her car parked in the driveway when I pulled up. Where was she?5

“Right here, “ I heard her soft voice reply from somewhere to my left.6

Just as I turned towards the sound of her voice a sudden sharp pain overcame me at my temple and everything went black.7

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -8

The smoothness of the darkness was calming. As I swam in its hands my mind seemed to reflect on many things. There was the day that we first met almost four years prior. We were both third year undergrads at College Park. She was a stressed out Economics major and I a laid-back fraternity big shot pretending to major in psychology. Our meeting had been purely accidental and obviously meant to be as I would never have been caught dead where we bumped heads but for extreme circumstances. I was flunking my Introduction to Logic class and was headed to the Philosophy department tutor lab for the first time. My hat was pulled down tight against my head in the hopes that I could shield my appearance from anyone that would recognize me. Stepping off the elevator I was paranoid and walking with my head down so as not to make eye contact with anyone that could josh me about it later. Preoccupied with my feet and fighting a small hangover from the night before I stepped right off the elevator and knocked her flat on her ass.9

Our curses mixed and mingled together as she slid an inch or two and all her books skidded across the floor. One slid into the elevator right as the doors were closing. The sight would have been comical if the owner hadn’t been behind me calling me several different variations of bastards. I quickly glanced up to see which way the elevator was going, dropped my books and bolted for the stairwell doors with her curses and screams flowing like water after me.10

The elevator had been heading down and given the delay I figured it had skipped about two floors already. I ran from the sixth floor to the second and managed to catch the elevator as it was letting the occupants off. As it emptied I eyed the cage for the textbook and it was gone. I pounded the walls beside the now closing doors and screamed as the old occupants strolled loudly towards their classes.11

“Whoever you are you know you aren’t right! Just bring the damn book back!” 12

A few girls turned to look at me like I was a mad man then giggled and walked on. I was tempted to just leave out and go back to the frat house to drink my hangover away. I was looking down she should have seen me. This was not my fault. There was one small catch though; my books were still on the sixth floor so I couldn’t just flee like the rotten bastard she had called me even though part of me felt that I was. Pressing the up button I lifted my shirt to wipe the sweat from my eyes. I was in shape but spring was just beginning and the school hadn’t turned on the air conditioning yet so my little jog had caused me to get soaked.13

As I lowered my shirt she was getting off the elevator her gaze so pointed I felt like a knife had just pierced my chest. She tossed my bag at me as hard as she could and because she caught me off guard I stumbled back a little. 14

“You are an unbelievable jerk, you know that?” She yelled advancing on me before I could get my footing.15

“Listen lady I ran down here to try and get the damn book back but somebody had taken it.”16

“Great! Just fucking great! First you assault me then you act as an accessory to the theft of my Economics textbook. That book was $150 used. You are going to replace that or I am pressing charges.”17

I rolled my eyes at her like she was crazy. “Look chick it was an accident you – “18

She advanced on me so fast I didn’t know what to do. Her breath smelled like strawberry fruit roll ups as it mixed with mine. Her eyes were wide and her pupils dilated with fury. “Do not call me chick. If you every disrespect me like that again I will cut your tongue out and feed it to you. Now, this is very simple. I have an exam in Economics on Friday that means I need my book back by no later than tomorrow. You will either replace the book or I will go to the dean and security and your chapter president and begin the smooth process of making the rest of your attendance here a living fucking nightmare. “19

I went to reply and tell her that she was crazy. Then it dawned on me that for her to speak of my chapter president she obviously knew exactly who I was. That confused me because I had no idea who the hell she was. While I contemplated that she began to walk away.20

“Hey –“21

“Hey nothing. You know the deal.”22

“But I don’t know who you are.”23

“You’ll figure it out,” she yelled back as she turned the corner.24

Thanks to sorority hookups and spies I found out exactly who she was. She was not a Greek but her roommate was. Her name was Jasmine McClain and she was a terror. She would make good on her threat. I had messed around with the acting manager of the bookstore and was able to get a 25% discount off of the replacement textbook in exchange for some information on one of my fraternity brothers. She hadn’t learned yet that Greeks dated Greeks and only played around with the rest. She was not a Greek.25

Jasmine and her roommate stayed at an apartment building a few blocks from the school. It was a nice complex and the college subsidized the rent. When I returned the book Jasmine all but snatched it out of my hands.26

“Damn girl! Why do you have to be so rude?”27

She arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow as if to ask if I really wanted to go there.28

I decided to switch tactics to try and get in her good graces. You see as I had watched her walk away that first day I realized that she was fine as hell. She stood around five foot six. Her body was unbelievable. She was a woman with meat on her bones but she carried it in all the right places. Her hair came to her shoulders and shaped her face giving her this sweet innocent look. The fire in her eyes made her delicate lips look almost pouty. She looked good enough to eat. The fact that she couldn’t stand me was a turn on as well. I had always liked to break them in and break them down. The harder they fought the more I wanted them and the better I felt when I won and inevitably walked away. Jasmine was different but in the most basic ways she was the same.29

“I want to apologize to you. I should have been paying attention when I stepped off the elevator,” I stated trying to place a gentle smile on my face. I was going for the puppy dog look but I must have missed by a thousand feet because she slammed the door in my face. “I really am sorry, “ I stated against the door. I stood there for ten minutes waiting for her to open it back up but she never did.30

After that I made it my business to be where I knew she was. That included the library and outside of debate club meetings. I went to her swim meets and I sent her little invites to any get-togethers that we had at the frat house. I started to send flowers and had one of the more geeky freshmen pledges write her love poems. I used my connections to get tickets to plays and ballets and stuff that, thanks to her roommate, I knew she would like. It took three months but she finally decided to go out with me. 31

“If I go out with you once will you stop stalking me?” She asked over the phone.32

“Yes, because once is all it will take and then I won’t have to stalk you anymore,” I replied confidently. She hung up on me and I sat on my bed starring at the phone.33

She insisted that we take things slow and we did. I was still seeing other girls and any guy I saw near her ended up having a special meeting with my frat brothers and me. When we left for summer break up to that point I had only been given a chaste kiss and she had not even blinked to give me hopes of more. Before she left she pulled me to her car and we had our first “future talk.”34

“Jason I will not be your conquest. I am not an idiot I know your game and I know your reputation. I also know that Greeks don’t date girls who aren’t sorors and trust me I will never be one of the herd.”35

I stood there dumbly for a few seconds before my mind kicked in to tell me that I should defend the Greek organization and myself. Had she called us a herd? Before I could respond she covered my lips with her finger.36

“The last few months have been interesting and in their own way very intense. If you are serious when we come back we can take this where it is headed. If you are trying to play games with me or hurt me kiss me goodbye now and cut your losses. I will not allow you to break me or hurt me.”37

I blinked away the confusion I felt. This girl seemed to know it all. She appeared to know my darkest secrets and she seemed to seriously be seeing whom I was inside. She was giving me an out and she was also giving me an in. She was letting me know very clearly that we had just been idling in the middle for the past few months because she knew my game.38

Before I knew what I was doing I pulled her to me forcefully. My arms clutched her arms and my lips collided with hers. She didn’t fight me but she never opened her mouth up to me either. 39

“That is not a kiss goodbye,” I mumbled pulling back and letting her go.40

She smirked and that eyebrow arched again as she turned to walk to the driver’s side of her car. She never said a word.41

I did my share of dirt over vacation but when I came back it was all about Jasmine and Jasmine made it all about me. We were exclusive and six months after she graduated and I dropped out to run my dad’s company we were married. I loved her to the point of distraction - she was my world. It seemed as though that was a mutual feeling except when it came to her work and school. She had gone back for her masters and was working her way up in an insurance company located thirty or so miles from my hometown where we had made our home. I hated that company. I hated that it took her forty-five minutes each way to get there and I hated all the hours - over fifty a week – that she spent there. I grew so angry that when we were together all we did was fight. She was mine but it seemed as if she had lost sight of that. It seemed as though I had become less than good enough, less than important.42

Then there was Stacy. The first affair…43

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“Jason can you hear me”45

I tried to focus on the sound of her sweet voice as I opened my eyes. My vision was clouded as though I was looking through a foggy window. A foggy window that seemed to tilt and flip. I felt myself getting sick and her hand on my forehead.46

“Jason, that’s fucking disgusting!” I felt a sharp pain in my groin area and then the painful spasms of my stomach heaving.47

“You better not black out again, “ I heard her screaming as the world went from foggy to dark again. This time the darkness was anything but smooth as my mind wandered over the first few years of my marriage. Heaven had swiftly transformed in to a sick over heated version of hell after that first year and I never could figure out who was more to blame. Our marriage counselor said that most of our problems stemmed from the fact that we needed some one to blame for everything. I stopped going to the sessions after that because no one exists with out blame and nothing, marriage included, is ever truly fifty-fifty.48

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“I would have pegged you to have better taste than that Jason. Some eighteen year old candy stripper who doesn’t know a condom from a balloon. Jesus and you brought that bitch into our house!”50

We stood in the reception area of my office. Everyone was gone for the day and I had stayed to catch up – on a few things. Jasmine had come by to bring me dinner and walked in on me catching up on Erika. I had met Erika two months prior when I had gone into the hospital to visit my cousin. Stacy, the first, had been over almost a year ago. And in my fourth year of marriage Erika was approximately the eleventh but the first Jasmine had ever caught me with. I never could figure out how she had gotten in to the office that night with out being buzzed up. Somehow she had managed and as I bent Erika over my desk and came all over her tight ass – a memory I still hold with fondness – Jasmine walked in. I don’t think she even paused. As soon as she saw us she started throwing things. First was the bag from Lorenzo’s holding the dinner platter which she threw at my head but hit my side as I turned away. Next went flying the books from my bookshelves and the antique cars on the display case beside the door. As she headed towards the bar and all the glass bottles Erika stumbled up pulling down her skirt and ran out the door. Just like a woman to leave a man hanging.51

She threw several bottles at me before I could reach her and pin her to the bar. My side was bruised. My face and arms and legs were cut from shattering glass and my pants were still around my ankles. I was mad as I held her and if felt as if I could feel her arms bruising. I knew I was in the wrong, at least for being dumb enough to get caught, but she still had no right to destroy my office. 52

My anger flared and she began to laugh hysterically until tears were coming out of her eyes.53

“Shut up Jasmine,” I screamed slamming her arms harder into the bar.54

She spit in my face and kneed me in my penis. I was down in less than a second thanks to the direct contact. She paced the room ranting about divorce and threatening to slit my throat with one of the glass shards. I knew she was allowing me to catch my breath because she wouldn’t enjoy fighting me while I was down. And as I struggled to pull my pants up and to ignore the pain in my side and between my legs I marveled that I had some how allowed the tables to be turned on me. Some where a long the line long before we were married I became her bitch and I let her break me down instead of the other way around. My pride and heart seemed to bleed rivers of blood like the cuts along my face and arms.55

“Today when I got home I did the laundry and I found these purple thong things that I would never be caught dead in. For a second I thought maybe you had gone back to your bastard ways,” she turned and looked at me where I stood against the bar for balance, “you didn’t think I was oblivious did you? But you know what I gave you the benefit of the doubt Jason. You niece was there last week and they could have easily been hers. I even went and bought your trifling ass dinner because I knew you were working late. Then I come here and you are fucking the bitch you have had in my house, whose draws were in my washing machine!”56

I stared at her defiantly knowing my silence would piss her off more and also because I really had nothing to say. They were Erika’s panties and she’d just thrown at me the excuse I would have used to defend myself normally.57

“Then you disgusting pig you didn’t even use a condom. You are going to pay. All this shit is going to be mine!” She yelled walking out into the reception area.58

I felt like we were back to that first day again and she was threatening to press charges and make my life hell. I jogged after her and caught her before she made it to the elevator. Why hadn’t I heard that come up?59

“You aren’t getting shit Jasmine. The prenup is iron clad and you can suck my dick if you think you will get a dime once I am through.”60

She turned from where she stood by the elevator and marched back towards me.61

“Suck your dick? Suck your dick? You fucked that bitch in my house, the house we planned to raise our kids in and you tell me to suck your dick?” Her face was damn near purple and she took a step back.62

“How the fuck did we plan to raise kids when you are never home to fuck me?”63

She gave me this look that was a mixture of pain and being utterly appalled.64

“Yes I said it, so what! You want to know why I fucked her in our house and in our bed it’s because you are never there to fuck me in our house in our bed. You are barely there to sleep in the bed let alone any goddamn thing else. “65

“Why the hell would I want to spend more time with you than necessary Jason. All you do is berate me and pick fights. All you do is whine like a little baby for sex. And you aren’t even that good at it!”66

That last line was the trigger and I snapped. My hands were around her throat as I slammed her into the wall. Her head collided with a thud and seemed to bounce back into my grasp then into the wall again. Our faces were less than inches apart and my spit covered her face from the spray expelled when I screamed her name as I charged her.67

“I – am – your - husband – do - not – disrespect – me!” Each word was enunciated and more spittle showered her face. I was amazed at how quiet she was as she stared up at me. I saw fear in her eyes for the first time ever and I took it as the respect I had been aching for from her for so long. 68

I penned her body to the wall a thrill racing through my body from the knowledge of her submission. The idea that I had actually, finally, broken her down just a little was an amazing turn on. “You are my wife Jasmine, you belong to me,” I whispered in her ear. Still she stood still.69

I tightened my hold on her neck and allowed my fingers to explore between her thighs. “I wouldn’t have to fuck all those girls if you would just act like a wife every once in awhile Jas. But you always have to be at that fucking job don’t you?” As I asked the question I roughly inserted two fingers inside of her tight and dry entrance. It dawned on me that she didn’t have on panties and my hold got even tighter. Had she been planning to creep and see some other man? I knew she wasn’t walking around bare assed for me.70

I saw that she was having problems breathing and eased up. “You fucking somebody else Jasmine?” I asked applying more pressure to the fingers inside of her. Her only reaction was to close her eyes. “Answer me goddamn it or I am going to start really treating you like the little slut I know you are.”71

She opened her eyes and locked them with mine and I saw the fear there as clear as before but there was some other thing hiding behind it that I wasn’t sure about. I tried to figure it out and my grip loosened and my face was instantly soaked with her spit.72

The rage that bubbled up inside me was blinding and I can not even begin to put the feeling into words other than to say that it was like electricity flowing through my veins. I seemed to have picked her up and tossed her on the receptionist desk. She fought me now kicking and punching trying to get free. In my anger she was no match for me where normally she would have made a good sparing partner. I turned her so that her back was facing me and her face was pressed in to the desk. I pulled her skirt up around her waist and with out preamble claimed her again as my wife. 73

The entry was rough and tight and in the back of my mind I knew she hadn’t been sleeping around. There was no way that she could have been and fit me like a glove the way she did. In my rage I still screamed and yelled at her as I pounded in to her. She fought me and cried and then she was still and silent and I knew that my life was going to change.74

I had broken her. I had won. I had my wife back. As I rode her, still holding her pinned to the desk I thought of all the things we were going to do. I was going to make her give her two weeks notice and then we were going to start working on a baby and building a family. I would even stop seeing Erika. Everything was going to get better and change. I loved her to distraction – she was my world. With Erika I had pulled out but Jasmine was my wife, the love of my life, so I let me seed flow inside of her as it should.75

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 76

I felt like I was drowning as I opened my eyes. Everything was clearer this time as I looked around and focused on the living room carpet my face inches away from what I assumed was my own vomit.77

“Sit up, “ Jasmine yelled dumping more water on me.78

She stood somewhere behind me so I couldn’t see her and I couldn’t sit up because my hands and feet were tied.79

“I sad sit the fuck up!” She kicked me in my back. I was sure that she had connected with my kidneys and caused internal bleeding because the world threatened to go dark again.80

“If you black out again so help me God you will never wake up.”81

I don’t know if it was the words that caught me off guard or the complete toneless sound of her voice. Whatever it was made me struggle through my pain and confusion and sit up. Before I could topple back over her arms were around my neck and she dragged me back to sit against the coffee table. The trip was no more than a few inches but being dragged by my throat made it feel like a hundred feet. By the time she let me go I was coughing and wheezing trying to catch my breath again. 82

She stood in front of me dressed in all black and her hair pinned up under a black knit hat. She looked damn sexy in the outfit and reminded me of an actress in one of those B rated movies from back in the seventies. 83

“What is this about?” I asked between coughs. I was so confused. Everything had been fine over the last month since the incident. She had quit her job. I had stopped seeing Erika. We were trying to get pregnant. She had become this sweet and docile kitten and we were getting a long so well. There were a few times when things had gotten out of control again and I had smacked her. But then she would calm down and we were all better. We were better than ever before.84

She paced back and forth in front of me while laughing to herself. She stopped and looked towards the entranceway. I could see the flowers on the floor surrounded by shattered glass and the wine I assume that’s what she was looking at as well. She turned back to me and pulled a gun from her waistband. She pointed it directly at my heart.85

“I don’t know what this is about Jason. I just woke up this morning with the urge to torture you until you begged for your death,” she giggled after she said that. “I mean I have no reason to want you dead or anything this would just be for fun.”86

In that moment I became afraid. Jasmine was cracking the fuck up. She was really going to do something very very bad.87

Pain exploded in my knee and my mouth formed a silent oh. It seemed as though I didn’t hear the gun go off until I was staring at the gaping hole where my kneecap used to be. What I was hearing was the second shot fired right before pain exploded up my right arm.88

“You figured out what it’s about yet Jason? Do you fucking get it yet, or should I take aim at another central location to refresh your memory?”89

Tears streamed down my face my blood flowed freely and I knew it really didn’t matter I would be dead soon anyway. I shook head that I understood.90

“You raped me Jason. Your own wife. You were supposed to love me and protect me and take care of me but instead you pushed your way inside of me and beat me. What do you have to say for yourself?”91

No words would come and my whole body seemed to be getting numb.92

“Answer me you fucking bastard!” She yelled. I heard tears in her voice and my heart fell faster than my lifeline. Such pain. I loved her so much and caused her such pain.93

“I’m sorry, “I said looking up into her face.94

Her eyebrow arched the way if had that day when I replaced her book. The she hit me with the back of the gun and the blackness ran up to meet me.95

I was awake but my eyes wouldn’t open and I had no feeling in my legs or arms. I new I was alive because I could hear her just as I could feel my chest move with my heartbeat. I was disoriented and couldn’t tell whether I was on my side or back. There was no way to tell if she had moved me or not. Just as I prayed for darkness to take me again and hoped I was in some sort of twisted nightmare I heard her speak.96

“I loved you, I was working for us and for our family. We could have made it if you would have worked with me. If you wouldn’t have violated me and stepped across that line. Do you know how if feels to be taken and broken like that Jason?”97

I wanted to say that I did know. I wanted to tell her that I loved her too and that the feeling she described was how I felt every day when she went to spent all her time at that damn company. I wanted to tell her that since I had claimed her again and made her mine I had been happier than I had ever been and I know that she was too. Alas my mouth was taped shut and all I could do was listen.98

“You used to tell me how you didn’t think any man should ever harm a woman and if he ever got the urge to he should think on how it would make him feel if someone did that to his mother or sister. Did you think about that Jason? Did you?”99

I hadn’t and I refused to let my mind go there.100

Heat spread through my groin as a whoosh of air then intense pain entered me from behind. My breath caught and I had a hard time breathing through the tape. I could barely catch my breath. The pain and heat were so intense. The restraints seemed to tighten. I could feel myself squirming to get away from the heat but that only made the pain more intense.101

“Don’t like being violated do you Jason? Nice seven inches ribbed for your pleasure. I am kind of shocked, I didn’t think you would take it all. I do feel a little bad though, I mean you are a no where near that big so it’s like unequal punishment or something.”102

Images swam in front of me as I tried to relax my muscles and not focus on the pain. Our first date. Our first kiss. The first time we made love. Our honey moon. Then I saw us in my office. Saw the fear in her eyes. Oh god, what the fuck had I done?103

“You are probably wondering about the heat. Well you like to fuck so I figured it was time you got burned. Woody is on a slow simmer over the oil burner you bought for Christmas last year. Very nice cook time too. I know you like dark meat. “104

I began to squirm away from the heat again and she stopped me with the gun pressed to my temple. We stayed that way for what seemed like eternity but was probably a little less than three minutes. She then undid my blindfold and lay so that we were eye to eye. She moved the burner so the heat stopped. I could see nothing else but her and my body had gone numb so I couldn’t feel anything except the gun at my temple.105

“I told you I wouldn’t let you hurt me. I told you that you couldn’t break me. All I wanted was for you to love me.”106

A tear escaped her eye and she closed them briefly before leaning in to kiss me on my lips through the tape. “Til death do us part – this is a kiss goodbye.”107

The smoothness of the darkness was calming. As I swam in its hands it’s grip on me became like a fist and the fear and pain I had placed in her eyes taunted me through eternity taking the form of the eyes of my mother and my sister and then back to Jasmines. I had broken her down and thus destroyed myself and I was the only person to blame.108

JayLynn 109

Copyright 2004 All Rights Reserved110

Author notes

[Please read From Princess to a Queen first. This is the second part of a two parter so it will make more sense after you have read that one. allpoetry.com/Story/545308 ]

I don't know where this came from. It actually disturbed me a little while I was writing it but it has been in my head and on my heart for a few days so maybe some one is supposed to see this.

I do not advocate violence so I can say that this is not my exact view point on the situation.  Reminds me of the song Earl Had To Die by Dixie Chicks. Just a twisted solution to an age old problem I guess.

Domestic violence is a real issue and if you are a victim, male or female there is help for you. www.ndvh.org/ (The link goes to the National Domestic Violence Hotline Website)

What did you think? Please comment!

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Comments

1 - 8 of 8
  • Miss Faerie
    November 16, 2004
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    well you sure did take what was said into account when you went and created jasmine's story. and the end to her story was thrilling. reading it made me think back to her mother and the way she had tortured alex and how he had deserved it. having been a victim i know all too well the desire to kill the person responsible for the pain and terror that you feel. you are truly amazing


  • sporkifye
    March 19, 2004
    Edit | Reply
    hoo... this is... intense! I have known similar personalities as both of these characters and it makes me shudder just being able to imagine people I know being driven to these lengths. And its happened, too. People who more or less just snap and do some pretty awful things to each other.
    You've written this amazingly well, with great attention to detail and an intensity not often found in the prose around here. As others have said before me you have a strong voice in your prose, and it makes it hard for me to find anything that I could actually critique in this piece. I felt a connection to both characters to the point where I was both pitying him and rooting her on. I'm definitely going to be reading Jasmine's story, as her perspective is really the only thing I could say is lacking from the original. But in a way, the lack of detail on Jasmine seems to give the overall story a very surreal feeling, and reminds me a little bit of the play the Dutchman. Its almost like she's somehow symbolic of his mistakes, or maybe of his chance to redeem himself, but he fscks it up again, and that's why she kills him. Or I've just been reading surrealist plays too long
    An incredibly good write, and keep penning!
    ~^_^~
    oh, and power to the Fishies! I'm a pisces myself, and danged proud!


  • SmokeFollowsBeauty
    March 19, 2004
    Edit | Reply
    Wow. It was just amazing. Ifelt her pain you know. Like a lot of times I once again seen a movie play in my head. Please write more. I really loved Jasmine. You coud tel from the beginning Jason felt as though women belonged to him. Very well done.

  • In-fin-ite
    March 19, 2004
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    I have written Jasmine's story.... allpoetry.com/Story/545308

  • In-fin-ite
    March 19, 2004
    Edit | Reply
    Any words you offer on any of my works I take with the deepest amount of gratitude and respect. So no worries it is very unlikely that any suggestion you offer would offend me the main reason being that your delivery would never be rude and degrading. That being the case I would like to hope that I have, in fact, taken it as it was intended.

    I did notice in writing and in rereading that my muse was focusing more on the development of the narrators voice than on the "heroines." The story seemed to develop and end rather differently that it had worked itself out in my head so by the end I was rather confused about where it had all come from. For me this was good, as I haven't written a story in quite some time and thought that I had some how lost the ability to do so. Not to mention that it has been years since I ever wrote a story that was not erotica that I could actually finish. And, I have never been able to write a first person from a male's perspective. So I literally have no clue where these words came from.

    After rereading it a bit I thought that I would try and tempt my Muse and see if I could write Jasmine's version. It would be a first person account of either before during or after her metting Jason and the subsequent marriage and death. I have realized that I write with tunnel vision it is very hard for me to portray and develop both characters equally in teh same story. I think this is why novels have chapters and why I will never be Anne Rice or James Patterson or Thomas Harris.

    Writing this disturbed me some what as it unfolded because I could see pieces of me in her and him, which I guess is good character writing. Right now though I am in love with this story because, while not my best in anyway shape of form it shows I have not lost one of the most precious things to me.

    Thank your for your honest critique and comments. They are why I wanted you to read it. I will work on Jasmine's part and see if I will revise this one. I may even use one of your suggested traumas as they are very good ideas for background. Be aware also that I may start pumping you for information. You know, stalking the musestalker.

    ~JayLynn


  • MuseStalker
    March 19, 2004
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    very entertaining and fascinating

    Okay. I'm baa-aack! Well, I must say, your story kept my attention rivetted from the beginning. You have a wonderful command of language and a gift for character establishment, although I found his character far better established than hers....even at the end. I suppose it is essential that the reader's knowledge of her unfold somewhat, along with the story....but, I wanted to know more about her. I can't help but believe there is much more about her that will explain her to me. Although I was glad in many ways to have her strike back, I couldn't like her at the end because of her need to inflict suffering...and my inability to understand that. It is just my opinion, but I think she either needs to have some good underlying motivation for this (e.g. a father who she watched beat her mom, who beat and raped her, and who - one night - her mother killed to defend her.) I think most of us can forgive a character for acting in a moment of passion, or to defend themselves, or we can even understand a character "snapping" and doing something retaliatory that we would otherwise deplore. But, your "heroine"'s long, drawn out torture of her abusive husband at the end is not explained enough to seem justified. Anyway, I hope you take this in the manner in which I intended it.
    I think the premise is fascinating....reminds me of DOA, a tale I've often admired for its fascinating manner of storytelling. I also greatly admire your writing ability. You manage to draw the character you concentrate upon very thoroughly, and endow him with such life. That is a very rare talent.

    I also think it is a rare gift to be able to write dialogue that appears natural and remains true to each character's personna. I hope you decide to rework this. I think it is definitely a piece that would require a bit of research to find an appropriate publishing source for, but one which should prove well suited to publication if it's reworked a bit.

    I stand in simultaneous awe and envy of you, sweets. I have rarely been able to write a complete story since I turned 14 years old. I just wish I could. I'd love to see you be able to publish something. I definitely think your story is readable and fascinating.

    Thank you so much for sharing it.

  • thehungrypoet
    March 19, 2004
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    Excellent

    This is amazing...I am speechless...It's amazing how you captured the passion and the emotions...It's that gap in between love and hate...wow

  • MuseStalker
    March 19, 2004
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    I printed out your story and am taking it to bed with me to read. I will comment on it in the morning. I read the first few paragraphs and was very impressed. You have a natural and very enjoyable "voice" in your prose....which doesn't surprise me. I've read your poetry, y'know. Well, I'm off to read and catch some zzzzzzzz's. Will give you my "verdict" in the AM. Good-night, sweets.

    PS - I am DONE with school - for a week, at least. Chat with ya later.

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