Walking in Shadows

So we headed off out early that day for one last look and a walk around Prague. We took loads of photos - little did I know at that stage they would be the last photos we’d ever take together. The day started OK and then we stopped for lunch. We had a few drinks and Liam was throwing them back rightly. I had a strange feeling about him that there was something going to happen. He ended up drinking all day. We went to another restaurant for dinner but that was very embarrassing as he was so drunk at that stage. He kept hitting off people walking around and knocking stuff on our table. I paid the bill and asked him could we head back to the hotel as I had no money left, and he had no money even going! He created a scene asking for my bank cards, saying that he wasn’t going back to the hotel; he was staying out for the night, and of course called me every name under the sun. He said he wanted money and if I didn’t give it to him I’d be sorry. I honestly didn’t have a penny left, only a few pounds to get us to the airport the following morning in the taxi. I left and asked him was he coming. He kept telling me how ugly I was, how fat I was, no wonder Martin left me and took all my money, that he should have done the same. I started walking back to the hotel. He followed me but walked about ten steps behind me. I slowed down a few times for him to catch up but he’d just slow down too and slag me in every way he could. I was mortified and wished the ground would swallow me up. We had to walk past a few bars and there were lots of people (mostly men) sitting outside watching me walking alone, and then him behind me shouting at me. Whether they could understand him or not I don’t know. When we finally got back to hotel (it was about a fifteen minute walk) and our bedroom, I went to the bathroom and washed all my tears away. When I came back out Liam was at the mini bar opening the bottles of beer. I said nothing because I knew if I said anything he would just try and aggravate me more. I changed and got into my pyjamas. He put on the televisions and started watching porn. Again I said nothing because I knew if he knew how much he was upsetting me he would thrive from that. But then he started going on, saying that that’s what a proper woman was meant to look like and that’s what a proper woman was meant to do (referring to the porn movie). I just couldn’t believe this. I got up and went to the bathroom again as I didn’t want him to see me cry. I gathered myself together again and went back into the bedroom. I should’ve stayed in the bathroom all night. At that stage he had every bottle out of the mini bar and was pouring them all into a wine glass. I went over to him and begged him not to do that, I just didn’t have the money to pay for it (plus I had to pay for the porn too!). He turned and threw me across the bed. I went flying and landed on the floor at the other side. I could hear him walking over to me and even at that stage I was thinking that he was coming over to say sorry. But he wasn’t. He kicked me in the stomach and told me to get up. “Look at the state of you!” he growled. Then he poured whatever was in the glass over me, a stinking cocktail of spirits. I was shaking like a leaf and couldn’t get up or move. He knelt down on one knee and grabbed my hair and banged my head off the thinly carpeted concrete floor. I honestly don’t think I’ve felt as much sudden pain in my life. He kept shouting at me, telling me to “get up you fool”. Eventually he lay back down on the bed again and continued watching the porn, as if nothing had happened. I managed to crawl to the bathroom. I don’t know how but I got into the shower and washed the blood out of my hair and tried to scrub away the smell of booze from my skin. I’ve never been so frightened in my life. I cleaned myself up eventually and came out and dressed myself. He was still watching this big blonde on the telly. It was going to be so expensive I had to go down to reception to ask could they turn it off as I couldn’t afford to pay for it. There was a male receptionist on duty. I felt so humiliated as it was obvious what was going on. He asked if I was OK, did I want to call the police or get another room for the night but I told him I was fine. The bangs on the floor had given me a good cut to the head and there was still blood trickling down my face. I went back up to the bedroom again but I felt really ill. Liam was asleep. He had spilt whatever he was drinking all over himself and the bed. He hadn’t even noticed.