She Fought Back

by James Newman

     “Why do you make me do this, girl?  Ain’tcha learned yer lesson by now?”

He kicked her again.  She whimpered as she slid across the floor.  A photo of the two of them — taken during happier times – fell off the wall, shattered.

He brought out his belt then, the one with the metal studs.

She had suffered the belt before.  No more.

She rose, on trembling legs.  Leapt on him.

He screamed.

She tore out his throat with her teeth.

He fell face-first into her empty food bowl.

She barked once, weakly, before running outside to chase some squirrels.

James Newman’s works include the novels MIDNIGHT RAIN, THE WICKED, UGLY AS SIN, and ANIMOSITY, the collection PEOPLE ARE STRANGE, and the quizbook 666 HAIR-RAISING HORROR MOVIE TRIVIA QUESTIONS.  You can visit his website at www.james-newman.com