Julie Harper

I didn't want my family to know.

I didn't want my neighbors to know.

Well, you know, at least I have more words in my vocabulary than you do.

Seems like the B-I-T-C-H is the only word that you can use.

That's what you are.

He grabbed my wrist and my hand.

so forcefully and twisted it so hard that, I mean, it was hurting into the next day.

He was slamming me up against the wall, face first.

And... What were you saying?

I said, stop, stop.

His face was all red and he was just, you know, his nose stretched up and his eyes squinting and he'd just get this look of absolute rage and hate.

But this was, I don't know, this was bad.

sort of wiggle my way free, pulling away as quickly as I could, moved from there across the room to my bed.

He said, I'm gonna kill you, you bitch.

And I was shaking and I was holding onto my gun tightly.

Next thing I knew, I felt

felt my hand jerk and heard a loud noise and he was still like coming forward at me and then all of a sudden he froze completely and just like a tree in the forest just

fell forward at me.

I didn't even intend to shoot him.

I only wanted to scare him or to get him to stop.