She was almost nothing now.

After years of his abuse she felt none of her old self in her body.

Who am I?

What do I like?

What do I want?

These were questions she no longer had answers for. Her mind only flooded with what his answers might be.

(Who am I?)

Insecure and useless.

(What do I like?)

Only what he allows me too.

(What do I want?)

To not make him angry.

She was a shell that used to hold a delicate pearl but now… only dust.

It hadn’t always been like this. She had thought he had loved her once. He would make grand gestures in the form of heartfelt letters… and exciting days out. Trips to the coast, singing their favourite songs, and getting matching tattoos. That was only 3 years ago but it felt like a lifetime…

One day he had just stopped. Trying. Loving her. Then began a new life for himself, all while dragging her alongside. Hiding her, hurting her… and instead of proclamations of admiration she was now berated with insults. Instead of trips the the coast, it was other women’s beds as she sat alone at home and cried herself to sleep.

She would never be good enough.

Everyday as he spent all her money, disappeared at night and stressed her body beyond the point of repair… she felt little pieces of herself float away.

Her innocence. Gone.

Her confidence. Gone.

Her joy. Gone.

Her friends. Gone.

Her independence. Gone.

All she seemed to have left was this tiny ember of strength. An infant flame… It wasn’t enough yet, but she held it close to her heart hoping one day it would ignite and burn bright enough so she could watch it all go up in smoke.

One day it did. She didn’t remember how it started. Mostly cause it was usually from nothing. She said the wrong thing. Put a dish in the wrong place. Maybe her shirt showed too much skin…

He was screaming, walking towards her, slamming doors behind him and and throwing her things across the room..

That’s when she felt it. A strange warmth flooded her body and tingled in her fingers. She moved them quickly still backing away from his rage, when she eyed a small spark.

Everything went quickly after that. He went to grab her by the shoulders and her body was suddenly engulfed in flame. Next minute he was screaming. Burning flesh filled her nose. His arms raw and red, covered in blisters. He was wailing on the floor. Just as she had done so many times before….

It was then she felt a feeling unfamiliar.. as a slow smile spread across her hollowed cheeks.

She cooled her body and turned on her heel to leave but not before sending an ember into the apartment behind her and locking the door.

She would burn them all down. Every man who laid hands on a women, every man who took no for yes… she would set her flame upon them, and she would enjoy every minute of watching them burn.