Mortaine’s Blog

This is a story idea I had based on the dream I had last night.

A woman is married to an older man who is absolutely domineering. She’s blond (Laura Dern?), pretty, and childless (? maybe?).

They live in a large Victorian-style house out in New England, where he absolutely forbids her to see anyone or go anywhere. This is especially true after someone (a child? a parent?) has recently departed, either for college or in death– not sure.

Her life is very lonely, as only this one, domineering and abusive man is her only companion. Eventually, perhaps even without deciding to do so, she starts trying to leave. Note: this woman is very old-fashioned, like her spouse– it hardly even occurs to her that this is considered abuse.

First, it’s a normal attempt at regular freedoms– like going to the store on her own. These are prevented.

Later, it’s little attempts to get time to herself, away from him. Sitting out in the backyard. Or jumping the fence to the neighbor’s yard (a practice which rsults in her own backyard becoming prohibited).

For some reason, this woman is very physically fit– perhaps from some hobby or activity from her youth that made her very toned.

Eventually, she gets to the point where sitting on the highest roof of the house is her own escape.

And just as with the backyard, jumping isn’t something she really thinks about, but rather just does, without thinking.

She spends a few years in a mental hospital, placed there by her old-fashioned husband who thinks insane asylums still do shock therapy. In fact, this one may still do those things in extreme cases, but mental health industry reforms come during her stay, the place gets bought, whatever, and she gets Therapy to the point where she can feel strong enough to make a safe place for herself in the world.

Years later, she returns to the house, a stronger, more determined woman. She returns, to find that her husband is a broken shell of who he used to be (or her perspective has changed). She has him placed in a hospital, and files for either divorce or an annulment. When she learns that they have over $10 million in assets, she does not relent– she wants it all, and points out that if he fights her on this, she will sue him for everything for having made her his sexual slave for so many years. She has no mercy on him– he ends up in a state hospital, dying.

Whereas she ends up returning to the house, a place of ghosts for her, but which she really feels she must return to. She starts putting her life back together, eventually reuniting with her son & daughter (? this is why I don’t know if she’s childless or not).

A story of recovery? Revenge? Healing?