All Comments on 'Face'

Though gruesome in some respects, life goes on. Insightful in its simplicity about two people who regret their overwhelming reactions to a devestating event in their lives. Forgiveness sometimes comes with horrifying realities, but there is truely a love for each other that only they can experience. Kudos to the REAL FRIENDS that stick with them. Many life lessons in this short story. Can each of us find this kind of strength within ourselves?

And she stayed with him? I don't think so. I mean, she was only getting a bit of cock behind his back. What the fuck would he do to her if she trashed his car? Don't bear thinking about.

and solitude they experience now. She betrayed him and deserves the result - he lost control and his penance is to remain by her side for life. Hard to like either character but the author did a good job engaging the emotions of the readers.

thanks!

Not a happy story. And yes everyone will hate the husband, as they should. But that apart you have created a great story with very real emotions. Thanks for the story.

Now he's is stuck with a fugly ho!

A good story. I read along wanting to understand these people. What was the problem? Oh, her face was damaged. What's up with this couple, they seem very much in love? Oh, she cheated on him. But he seems involved also? Oh, he beat her and ruined her face. How come he's not in jail. Why is she still with him? Why did she cheat? The beating seemed horrible, monstrous. How could such a good man do such a terrible thing? Lots of questions. But a good story.

Well done. Making this man who was a monster into the realm of a sypathetic person who is accepted by his wife was a great accomplishment in this story.

Difficult subject and interesting angle. I think it was well done.

...in way too long, congratulations for making the reader care....

The only thing I can think of is if he done any hard time for assault? A really well thought out story with a very well developed storyline. Thanks for the story.

Sad story, but well told.

Really enjoyed the story! Would love to here the 'prequel'. I don't believe in spousal abuse (from either side), but do not know what I would do if those circumstanes were thrust on me. I've always looked forward to reading your work whenever I see a new post. Keep up the good work!

Is this really hard to tell who the monster is and who is the angel?! Is this really a vicious cycle?

Not enough story. Only whining and feeling sorry for themselves.

WHY? Wheres the story? Wheres the background?

This is really a bad attempt at writing. Please try again and see if you can really write.

She was found to be cheating and he physically beat her, as an immediate response to the her actions? What about the guy? The whole episode has long term effects on both. A tale of consequences, but would it have changed her choice to cheat, given her motivations and impulses?

she won't cheat again. "It's only a little cock" one readers said. It's this kind of mental attitude that creates the marital problems in this world. It could have been worse, he could have killed her, couldn't he. Temporary insanity. Not bad for a short story, to the point. It was written to evoke emotions, without background, just the facts. Not a bad read author.

a story of a wife beater or someone who comitted domestic violence. In any case it wasn't my cup of tea, so one star is what you get. R.T.

I could just copy and paste.

everyone is hating on the husband, but most of those who are damning the husband are feeling sorry for the cheating slut. I don't get it, most of the ass believe that it's ok to fuck over the man, but feel sorry the little beat up woman. Where was the worry for her, when she was getting fucked.

I can understand how some people wouldn't like this story, and the contents, as such, didn't particularly please me. However ---- There is an obvious 'sameness' about so many of the LV stories, and it is refreshing to find an author who is prepared to risk pushing the boundaries a bit. I sometimes try it myself, and often get put down for it, so I know what it's like. Well done Sir S, you have my vote!

Amazingly enough most seem to be evaluating the character or the situation and not how well presented and portrayed it all was. Really, it is to me most amazing that people always only consider that physical actions should be punished but refuse to consider that emotional violation can destroy a personality. Yes it is the old egg problem....

S,

He could have attacked her lover and she was hurt. Indirectly but she was hurt in the fight or struggle. Perhaps. From the story it was not intentional.. but it happened and they live with it.

Aftermath is what they/we are left with. Certainly emotional and "real", possible.

Thanks for sharing on Lit.

x

had to read this twice to make any sense. The moral is dont piss off a monster or create one. TK U MLJ LV NV

u can say in this time (this world now) anything husband do he is wrong

if he take revenge on slut wife he is asshole

if he do not anything he is wimp

... just has justice and revenge are to. David is paying for his crime but so is she! Why? ... because if the true be told, every time Jessica looks into the mirror not only does she see the "results" of her adultery but reasons for them as well!! A sad but very good story!!

Great writing. A take that defies simple labels.

Tough one. She cheated. He reacted. Horribly.

Should have destroyed the guys face and divorced the wife.

Who was the monster???

Tough one.

See title

Great story, awful story. Grim as Hell.

Another amazing flash story packed with emotion, character, and detail.

Women need to remember that most men have the capability to not only inflict great pain, but kill. It's just that society teaches us to live by certain standards, contain our more base drives, and control ourselves before responding to stimulai.

You destroy a man's world and there's going to be a moment where all those controls, considerations, etc, just vanish. It may only be a flash, or it may last long enough that he does something truely heinous, but every man has had a point in his life where he's devolved to an animal reacting for even the briefest of moments.

I can't imagine what these two characters have to live with, but the fact that they're still together and able to find solace in each other afterwards says far more about their true character then what they both did before the story's timeline. Living with that kind of guilt (from both parties) and still being able to love each other...

Wonderful food for thought.

Was on he was on. Another home run.

Thanks for the effort.

It must have upset me (in the emotionally charged, a lot to think about, heavy duty "holy shit", sort of way), such that I didn't comment then. Story spinner found me another Sirsemga tale, and looking through the story list, I gave this one another read. I feel like I am a pacifist, and can not understand violence towards women is acceptable in any way, for any reason. Of course, months of reading LW tales on Lit, and reading about truly EVIL women, outrageous scenarios, and even torturous betrayals coupled with ultimate humiliation, seem to numb one's fervor towards the ideal that NO woman deserves to be beaten. Well, knowing that this is only fiction helps me to retain that philosophy, but I have to reluctantly admire an author who attempts to justify the unthinkable. Here in this story, the unthinkable is three-fold. That: 1) he would do it, 2) he would stay with her after and, 3) she would stay with him after. Yes, this is an aftermath story, and I think it is well told. Just enough, of both detail and mystery, to get you engaged and wondering about these characters. Somehow it works here, and between the disgust and pity, we see two people who possibly have a stronger relationship now, then before the cheating happened. You present an interesting insight into what constitutes "penance", and certainly, you competently expressed that they BOTH have learned their lessons well, and for good.

Discomfort with subject matter may have garnered lower scores, but this effort really is at least 4, if not 5 stars. Powerful!

Both of them were awful people.

Both of them learned from it.

To see what a man is capable of in an instant is hard to see.

To see how much destruction SHE wrought without touching him was also telling. Who knows how ugly his soul is now?

And yet, in a moment's passion, a man will hit a woman and be a monster forever to women. Yet these same 'overly moralistic' women will accept a cheating woman into their bosom after the fact.

This is a moral conundrum which isn't solvable but it some food for thought.

Let's be honest, the husband should be given an award. His wife was a whore and she paid the minimum price she deserved to pay. His marriage was broken and his heart scared for life...so what if everyone looks at her and sees that her hideous soul matches her face. The husband is a hero and everyone should applaud him for going easy on her.

If he'd just walked away, he could have gotten over her and gone on with his life. Some men could have beaten her and then walked away, but he wasn't one of them. Now, because he went further than he could live with comfortably, he's so overcome with guilt that he's condemned himself to a life sentence of being seen as a monster AND being stuck with a cheating slut for a wife.

You don't deserve an award for losing control of yourself and ruining your own future.

Too much of the story is missing for me to rate it any higher than a 3*. I understand the intent of the tale and I want you to tell me more.

Why isn't he in prison for years and years? Why would she stay anywhere near him? Complete and utter lunacy. Totally screwed up story, even for fiction.

Two days ago my neighbor beat the shit out of his girlfriend. That night she told the police she's pressing charges to the fullest extent of the law. And now 2 days later she refuses to press charges lol, lol, lol, lol...the damn same story.....

bill.....

This might sound a little cruel, but's it's another way to look at it. The jerkoff husband should be rotting away in prison for what he did to his cheating wife. The slut should just put a bag over her head. Maybe suck cock at a glory hole. I'd bet she's real good. Shit, it is what it is.

Fiction. Only fiction.

Give me a break, women are born evil. That is their nature. The rage heads know this.

A very intense story thanks for your time and effort you put into it

My siblings and I grew up in a dual alcoholic love/anger/love relationship that lasted 28 years. They never were abusive to the kids, but unlike this couple, the wheel turned more than once. No cops, no breakup (until mom dried out and he didn't). To those who say this is unrealistic YOU ARE WRONG.

My sense of the story is that they truly loved each other. She cheated. He caught her. She couldn't control her lust and he couldn't control his temper. The result is "FACE".

In the cool of the aftermath they still love each other. They both will be scarred for life either physically or emotionally. But she has found it in her heart to forgive his violence while he has forgiven her betrayal.

It takes special people with more than average courage and love to make this happen.

That they have the strength to socialize is remarkable. That they have the confidence in their love for each other to bare the distain and pity of others is marvelous. But that they love each other enough to share themselves with each other to reinforce their commitment to each other is simply awesome.

The author nailed this one.

He beat her that badly and didn't spend any time in jail or had any charges against him? BS. Also, he caught her cheating and beat her almost to death...where was her lover while this was going on? He ran, stood by and watched? Didn't try to defend her? It doesn't make sense.

I also don't like the pemise. I know, no one's without sin but here you have a cheating wife and a wife beater. Who would stay friends with these two?

Also, why wasn't the other man beaten and what about jail time?

I guess they deserve each other. They both took something that they can't give back.

...and I enjoyed it very much! She wears the scars of her actions on the outside while he wears his scars on the inside. Both have found forgiveness from the other. I'd like to read more stories with this level of authenticity. Thanks for writing it!

Yup.

So 5-stars & ”Favorite”

Something fresh in LW, unlike the garbage that is the usual fare. This shows imagination. That's rare here

Stockholm Syndrome ... :(

Beat his wife, instead of her lover? Because she couldn't fight back? Two stars.

3 questions I wish had been addressed.

1) nose job/cosmetic surgery?

2) Move away. Even another part of town?

3) Kids? Why not? She said they wanted kids but "oh well"

5*****

Forgiveness, on both sides.

This is superbly told short story--or better, vignette. So much is revealed through so few words. That's craftsmanship. Who cares whether he was actually jailed or whether she had surgery. Some things are better left to the imagination. Wise authors know this; ignorant commentators do not.

The "story" behind this story must be incerdible.

So much we don’t know as we only have hints. They are still together and good. David appears to remain faithful to her. Perhaps he hit her once accidentally, maybe she hurt herself running away, or she was pushed out of a window in the man on man/men struggle; if it was a deliberate beating with that degree of life-changing damage he would be imprisoned for 3 to 5 and there would be restraining orders. So there must be mitigating circumstances.

I think you said it best. Signed: BTW

Excellent portrayal of a good man pushed too far. Surprised he stayed with the whore.

Again, I still think the back story would be great. I hope the lover suffered even worse damage.

I've read this one a few times and I'm never quite sure how to feel about it. On the one hand a deep betrayal of something precious which instigates a horrific act of violence is a terrible thing to contemplate. On the flip side, though, a couple that has stayed together despite such horrific acts, worked hard to overcome the after effects and realized that there are still deep bonds of love between them is a wonderful thing. The real impact of this story is reading what's happened long afterwards and only getting the surface context, then applying our own values to it, which is basically what everyone this couple knows is doing. Although the story is told from Jessica's point of view, we're left to draw conclusions based only on what little we're told, so we're essentially the critical neighbors passing judgment based on the few cold facts we know. It's quite brilliant in that way.

There's a lot of speculation involved with this story since we aren't given any real details of what happened and when, but that's purposeful. On the one hand it brings up a lot of questions and incredulity but on the other it makes the mind attempt to recreate the circumstances with several pieces of the puzzle missing. For example, since David apparently served no real prison time we can assume that he didn't just barge into the room with fists flying. Had he beaten her asshole lover he would have been arrested for sure, so the coward probably escaped and his rage only had Jessica to focus on. There's still a question about why he wasn't arrested regardless since he beat her badly enough that she almost died and hospitals automatically inform the police when that kind of domestic violence is thought to have occurred. It's possible he did some time but she refused to press charges so the penalty was commuted. Then there's the question of how bad her face really was since SS doesn't actually describe it and we only have Jessica's self evaluation and the reaction from other people that her face is "ruined". Why there's no plastic surgery reconstruction is also in question but could be as simple as a lack of money and insurance not covering it. We're also never told what the reaction of their families was, either. There's a ton of questions but they're left unanswered purposefully to make us think and try to come up with a reason why these two would stay together and rebuild a loving relationship despite doing terrible things to one another on our own. That's in equal parts impressive and frustrating.

As an aside I have to admit I find it amusing the reaction this story has had with commenters. Usually stories about wives cheating have the BTBers coming out of the woodwork calling for the slut to be drawn, quartered, hung, burned at the stake and, yes, beaten to an inch of her life. In this story it actually happened and now we've got the complete opposite. Masses are lighting torches and sharpening pitch forks, ready to string up and castrate this woman-beating asshole. Ah, Loving Wives category...

This is a great yet very frustrating story. The inquisitive part of me very much wants a complete story with all the details of the discovery, the confrontation and violence, the guilt and worry, the recovery, the decision to stay together, the counselling and eventual forgiveness, everything. The part of me that understands what SS was trying to accomplish with the story, though, admits that it's complete as it is and is successful. All I can do is tip my hat and say, "Well done."

Great story and a completely different plot to the usual. A mention of the lover's fate, would have completed it. Very well done. 5*s.

Dark.

A prequel & sequel will help

Short, dark, sad, yet I'm glad they face it together as husband and wife, warmed my heart

Very well done. You seem to emit the correct emotions with your writing. The wording was clean and clear and each point well made. Excellent!

No person has the right to harm anyone else physically!! David should have been in jail.. if she cheated divorce her.. not ruin her for life! That is an animal not a human being!

Sorry. It's well written, but it makes no sense to me why they are still together.

This is the first time I’ve encountered this author. He writes unusual stuff. I’m still trying to get a handle on it.

They both got what they deserved, she cheated, he broke.

Wow, that's a really intense story.

ok, heartwrenching story, but as far as LW category goes, it is an original idea as far as i can tell. I would like to see more as to how this couple moves forward dealing with this. 5 stars for me. ( and to all those who are quick to take fingers to keyboard, NO I DO NOT SUPPORT ANY FORM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. ) This is a story on what would happen if both, the physical abuser and the abusee attempt to move forward after a grievous moment in their marriage.

Arguably the most realistic story in this section

If hubbie is truly sorry, his penance should be to disfigure his own face even more severely than he did his wife's. Until he does, it's all talk...and talk is cheap.

Sickening. Why would they be together? Penance? She lost an eye. Gah!

WO this and your HIV story are very thought provoking.

The idea is original but there is no story here just emotional blather.

Sad story. Closer to life than we would like to admit. Makes you think.

2nd read. Man, I wish this was a page or two longer. Good stuff!

I'm really curious what would happen in the comments if the man and women parts where reversed.

Hopefully I would be positively surprised but I do not think so.

5/5

Superb original story.

You could write a follow on

Does a couple really stay together after that? Don't see how with pressure from family, friends, etc, not to mention self loathing and hatred of what happened by both sides, how the marriage survives. And how was he not in jail? The doctors would report it. Doesn't matter the circumstances or her not wanting to press charges. He woukd be incarcerated for probably several years and treated harshly in prison. Original premise but highly doubt would ever happen. We also.get no clue about why or what hapoen3d other than she was in bed with another man and presumably drunk, given she no longer drinks.

5 stars for the courage it took to write this story, but the content was so disturbing that it leaves me feeling very sad for both of them.

I will continue to repeat that infidelity is not a felony offence, nor a capital crime and in this case, at the very least, the husband should have done some serious time behind bars.

Better yet - his face should have a duplicate scar, to better understand how she really feels.

Excellent short story. Both failed the other.

She, him, more than herself. He, her, more than himself.

They each failed themselves. They know that, they have each other.

The writer built a story on betrayal, anguish and guilt. In real life I doubt that they would be together. She would be beyond salvage and he would be in jail,,,, That is partly why the story is successful.

5 stars commentors are overestimating how much time he would spend in jail, it wouldnt be long if at all. And she cheated dont know why thats being ignored, he was in the wrong but so was she and she started this mess.

Complete shit

Disturbing, unbelievable, and good.

Kudos again to this author for offering another slice of life, not just some neatly done, trope filled or hyperbolic tale.

Life's messy. Plenty of blame to go around and plenty to celebrate and find joy in.

Such a powerful writer.

Nah this is gold, having to live in the tatters they have made of their lives. It's visceral.

May be visceral, but not realistic they stay together. And how dies he nor end up in jail? Qe also know nothing of her adultery. Just all speculation.