LOVE IS WHAT IT IS

Story of a dangerous relationship.

 

      Anna ran hard and fast, but she knew Danny could run faster. She had to stop for a few ragged breaths, knowing if he caught her he would kill her. In a few hours--maybe less==his temper would cool and she would be out of danger. But right now it was at the boiling point. Why had Lang decided to come on to her like that? And why had Betty, that b***h, egged him on? She was supposed to be his girl. Anna had done nothing to encourage Lang, but Danny wouldn’t see it that way. She forced herself to go on, grateful she was wearing flats and not heels.

 

    When she couldn’t run any further Anna found herself in front of a cheap, shabby movie theatre. Admission was two dollars, half of what she had in her purse, but she bought a ticket and went inside. Here, for at least a little while, was shelter and safety.

 

     Anna was barely aware of the bright colours and blaring sound. The images that flashed through her mind were far more vivid than the pictures on the screen. The look on Danny’s face when Lang pulled her up and tried to dance with her…Danny’s fist hitting Lang’s jaw…he sound of Lang’s head hitting the floor…

 

     Danny was an amateur boxer. He might have hurt Lang badly, or even worse--oh no, God no. She wouldn’t let herself even think about that.

 

     Someone said the word "police” and Anna had run, knowing Danny would be right behind her, knowing he wouldn’t wait for the authorities to show up. She put her head against the back of the seat and closed her eyes, trying to relax in this little space of time she’d found for herself.

+++

     Danny knew which way Anna would run, and that was straight. She wouldn’t take time for any turns. She’d go down Mission, cross Clancy, and continue on Vista. He followed her straight to the theater. He hadn’t seen her go in, but he knew she was there. They knew things like that about each other. That’s what made them so great together…or had. That was all over now. When your girl betrayed you there wasn’t anything left. He’s kill her and then himself. Danny felt in his pocket for the knife he always kept honed to razor sharpness.

 

     Anna wasn’t surprised when Danny sat down beside her. She supposed she’d known from the beginning he’d find her. She wasn’t even surprised when she felt the blade at her throat and knew he meant to cut it. If she didn’t panic; if she stayed absolutely still, there might be a chance. “Lang came on to me,” she said, her voice very calm. “I didn’t come on to him. I didn’t do anything…”

 

     “What did you do?” Danny asked bitterly. “Did you scream? Did you slap him? No. You let him"“

 

     “I didn’t ‘let’ him anything. Listen Danny, I--"

 

     A flashlight beam picked them out. “Danny? Danny Aldrich? You need to come with us,” an authoritative voice said. Officers Frances and Muldoon, who responded to the call, had tracked Danny as quickly as he had tracked Anna. But they didn’t know about the knife.

 

     Danny told them. “If you take one step closer I’ll use it on both of us.”

 

     The voice came again. “You’re not in any trouble yet, Danny. Lang is all right.”

 

     “Why am I supposed to believe that?” Danny sneered.

 

     “Because I’m right here.” Lang moved forward enough so that they could recognize him.

 

     “Keep it quiet up there!” someone yelled.

 

     “Sit down!”

 

     “Yeah, sit!”

 

     “Let’s take this outside,” one of the officers suggested.

 

     They left the theater.  Danny refused to surrender his knife, but it was closed and in his pocket. Lang wasn’t pressing charges, but Muldoon took them both to the station house to sign some papers--whatever that meant.

 

     Frances offered to drive Anna home, and she accepted gratefully. The last few hours had been difficult, and she was tired.  They drove in silence for awhile. Then he said abruptly “You need to break it off with that guy. You can do better.”

 

     “He’s my man. I’m his girl.”

 

     “He was ready to cut your throat!”

 

     “Only because he loves me,” Anna murmured.

 

     This kept Frances silent until they pulled up in front of her house. “Someday he’ll do it, you know.”

 

     Anna shrugged. “It is what it is.” And she got out of the car.

 

     Frances drove away thinking I’ll never understand women.

 

     Anna thought I’ll never understand men. But she only had to understand one. And that just enough to keep him from killing her.

 

    

 

     

Reviews

[Archos]

Fantastic story! I've noticed two small mistakes:
(T)he sound of Lang's head hitting the floor...
He’s kill her and then himself. (He'd?)

Hope it helps!

[Marie]

Thank you. I did make some mistakes in this story, and I'm going to do a better job of proof-reading after this.

[RANJANKUMAR DESAI]

Well done . A good effort . It is great to tell with lesser numbers of words . Just keep it up.

[Marie]

Thank you.

[RANJANKUMAR DESAI]

I would feel oblige if could spare your valuble time to review my writing with constructive approach .

[Workvio]

An all too true little story about BAD LOVE, the kind that enslaves rather than sets one free, as too many women get into this type of situation believing it is they that have somehow done something wrong, or that they can simply do nothing about it ... A man who loves a woman would never harm a hair on her head, no matter what, even if she cheated ... He would simply break it off with her, wishing her well, and move on with his life, if he could not find a way to forgive her ... Sadly, Anna loves Danny more than he loves her, enough to give her life for a man who does not really love her, but does think he owns her ... BAD LOVE! ...

[Marie]

Bad love to you, to me--but not to Anna.
That's why I titled it LOVE IS WHAT IT IS...

[Robert Vicens]

I found the beginning a bit confusing with all the names. I think high school girls think this way, though. Remembering the details and telling stories by listing the names of all those involved.

You gave an explanation for how Anna got to the theatre, how her boyfriend found her (because he just knew that she would keep going straight), but you gave no explanation for how the officers found the couple at the movie theatre. It felt convenient and not genuine.

You like switching multiple points of view. I would have liked to see the officer's point of view: e.g. as he discovers from one of the kids at the party that overheard Danny talking that he meant to kill Anna and that he declared that "that b***h's stupid. Bet she keeps running straight to the Cobb theatre".

Just a thought.

[Marie]

I assumed that the reader would assume that the officers simply followed danny. I didn't stop for a lot of explanation, because I try to keep my stories under 1,000 words. In fact, I don't post any here that are longer. But thanks for the review. In a story this short, I shouldn't be switching POV's at all.

[Michael]

Moviegoers can be so rude. Conducive to plot development, yes, but also rude. I like the tact with which you present your characters, and your ability to describe adequately with only a few words. That is a very beneficial talent for a short story writer to have, but I'm sure you know that, as you have put it to great use here. Thanks for the read. :)

[Marie]

Thank you. I try never to post anything on here over 1000 words; people dont seem to have the patience for it.

[Ashley]

Interesting... First for everything I suppose.

[wordman]

this is a great story marie,i enjoyed it

[Fiberfib]

Great story telling Marie, your characters feel so real. The ending is so sad with her resignation to a life of second best.

[Marie]

Thank you. I don't think Anna felt second best--she was living out her destiny.

[Taylor]

Hi Marie -- Again returning the favor of your review. I'm going to review this story as I read. Good strong start in the first paragraph with its intrigue. The movie theater is a very nice backdrop to advance the story and heighten the tension -- contrast of images on the screen and in her mind. Well, I stopped commenting paragraph by paragraph because I was so engrossed in the story that I failed to stop to notice how it was written. So....that surely means that there is nothing else to say about it, except congratulations, job well done. A sad story but often so true. Good to put a spotlight on it.

[Marie]

Thank you. I'm glad you found the story that engrossing.

[Woody]

amazing ability to draw characters and put thoughts int their heads.
I'll never understand girls who cling to abusive/jealous/possessive men. but I'm sure there are plenty of them out there.

[Marie]

Yes there are. But Anna is a girl who entered a relationship, knowing what it was, and understands what she has to do in it.