He stands where his father put him, white faced, tears staining his cheeks, little fists clenched at his side, listening to the silence. His mother’s stifled screams, moans, and sobs have stopped.
He is trembling, frozen with fear, eyes fixed on the belt hanging on the back of the door.
Ann Sangwin is a retired teacher, now a career grandmother. She has written all her life but until recently has not thought of submitting for publication. She lives in Kent, where she recently joined a writing group which has changed her life.
I like this … it reaches into an area which is still rarely explored by literature. natalie merchant wrote a song about this called ‘what’s the matter here?’ which i guess you know.
Domestic violence is still with us unfortunately and very much remains a hidden crime. All we can do is call the police whenever we see, hear or suspect something. It’s better to be wrong than say nothing. A timely warning
Haunting… Well done.
Jennifer