The Sound of a Gun

Short story in Basic English

Today is my last day in the land of the living. This decision has been made by a judge in the past. Only the hand of God or a secret getaway will change my future.
I take a seat on the side of my prison bed. Whatever they say, I do not regret what I did and I have no fight with my inner conscious. If I were in the same position today, I would do it again. Without any doubt.
My thoughts go back to that cold night in December. The night I was late from work because I had to make my way through the snow-covered roads. As I came through the back door of the house the man I married gave me a dirty look. On the table were three bottles, with no wine in it anymore.
He roughly put his arms around me and gave me kisses. The smell of his breath made me shake my head in disgust, but that was not the worst thing: while touching the private parts of my body, he strongly put his need to have sex with me. And it was clear that he wouldn't take a 'no' for an answer.
I pushed his hands off me and I made a run to the first floor. He came after me, cursing the gods in a loud voice. As I made it into our bedroom, I said a prayer that he would give up, but before I was able to put the lock on the door he had a foot in between.
It was not the first time that the man I married put a physical attack on me. For years I was in full regret that I once was in love with that animal. And this time a voice inside my soul said: Sarah, you have to make an end to his. For once and forever.
There was only one way out. It came to my mind that he kept a gun in his bedroom drawer. So I turned my back, took a rush and a second later I was in front of him again, this time pointing a gun at his head.
His eyes went wide. Taken by surprise he went down on his knees, crying and weeping.
'Sarah,' he said, his voice soft and full of shock. 'Please, don't do it. Give me another chance.'
These were his last words. Hanging in the room was only the sound of a gun.
With the death of the man I married I made an end to my life as well. The judge was strong in his opinion because for such a violent act there was only one punishment. And that decision will make today my last day between the living, tomorrow I will rest in peace.

--==-- *** --==--

Author's Note

This story is written in Basic English, as designed by Charles K Ogden in 1930.