Iris Murdoch Cut Me Up - No-Man

She was awoken by the stinging feel of his fists pounding against her naked back

She turned to look at him, but before she could say anything

He smashed the base of her jaw with his elbow

In the confusion of pain and flailing hands that followed

She was barely aware of the sound of splintering teeth

Rattling in the bloody agony of her broken mouth

He pushed her out of the bed and onto the floor

Her head hit off the bedside table

Bringing the lamp down upon her shoulder

He stood above her as she lay in the mess of bedsheets and broken glass and

blood

He stood above her and stared at her startled face

Which was swollen and black with bruising and wet with sudden tears

He bent down slowly, kneeled beside her, and lay down parallel with her body

He pushed strands of hair back from the side of her face

Pulled his torso up with his arm and leaned towards her

He placed his lips against her ear

He whispered «You shouldn’t have said that.»