Rose shuddered on the bed and at least gasped in some air, eyes wide above her gaping bloody lipped mouth as she saw me lift the metal light high and strike down at her again. My eyes were down from watching the dress tear, giving me a view first of her lower belly and fat flap, my first live look at the slowly fading bruises from her past falls. I gave the door the usual morning knock, heard Rose reply a bit groggily that she was waking up, then paused while listening to the pained noises of her sitting up. Rose shuddered on the bed and at least gasped in some air, eyes wide above her gaping bloody lipped mouth as she saw me lift the metal light high and strike down at her again. Something in Rose’s shoulder tented the skin above her left breast before a narrow piece of raggedly broken collarbone tore out into sight and was hidden as she went over onto her front side. I gave the door the usual morning knock, heard Rose reply a bit groggily that she was waking up, then paused while listening to the pained noises of her sitting up. Rose cried out again as the metal struck the side of her left wrist, the crunch of impact giving no doubt I
