Misery

Paul writes until his hand is sore. Annie remarks that he is not just writing for her anymore, and, selfishly, Paul knows this is true. He dreams that Annie is turning into a gigantic bee. People show up to gawk at Annie’s house, prompting her to hang a chain across the driveway. Paul tells her he will finish the book tomorrow, which cheers her. She tells him she loves him, and she brings ice for his hand. The next day, Annie brings Paul medication and soup. Seeing the state of his hand, she bemoans not getting him another typewriter. Resolved, Paul will finish on the typewriter. Annie has a special treat for him: caviar. Paul laughs when he sees it. Surprisingly, Annie joins him.

Paul eats most of the caviar himself, thinking joyfully that he will kill Annie on a full stomach. She has also purchased expensive champagne for after he is finished. Paul asks her for one of his cigarettes, as he always smokes after finishing a book. Annie disapproves, but she agrees. At the novel’s end, Geoffrey considers the difference between cruel and insane gods, and he concludes he does not want to live if Misery dies. When she wakes, he knows he can survive, even without her love. Paul fills in the missing letters. As usual, he feels strangely empty, but it is good to be done. Annie has left him a cigarette and a single match. Paul wheels over to the loose baseboard to prepare for her arrival.

Paul calls for Annie, who excitedly goes to fetch the champagne. He calmly lights his single match. When Annie enters, Paul is sitting in his chair behind a heap of paper soaked in lighter fluid, bearing the title page “Misery’s Return.” Paul assures Annie she was right—it is the best Misery book. She drops the champagne in fear, pleading. Paul drops the match, igniting the pages. Annie howls and scoops the manuscript into her arms. Having anticipated this, Paul raises the heavy typewriter and slams it into her back, driving her to the floor. 

Paul stands over Annie on his right foot. She is burnt and bleeding from the champagne’s shattered glass. Paul throws himself on top of her, takes a handful of hot, charred paper, and shoves it into her mouth. He does this again and again, imagining he is enacting sexual violence on her. Annie throws Paul off. She hits her head on the mantel and collapses. Paul is halfway to his wheelchair when Annie opens her eyes. Horrified, Paul thinks that Annie really is an immortal goddess. She screams at him through her throatful of paper, grabbing at his legs as he crawls for the door. Her hands wrap around his throat. Paul screams for her to die, and she collapses again, on top of him.

Paul extricates himself from Annie’s body, not believing she is really dead. He locks her in his room and her grasping fingers appear in the crack of the door. Paul locks himself in the bathroom and takes three Novril before passing out. When he wakes, he is certain Annie is still alive, waiting for him with the axe. His vivid imagination hears a rustling outside. Unlike stories, life is messy, and plans imperfect. He meant to hit her in the head with the typewriter, killing her instantly. Cursing life’s uncertainties, Paul thinks of the real manuscript, hidden under his bed, which he intends to save. Summoning his courage, he resolves to try flagging down a car from outside the house.

Moving through the parlor, Paul sees Annie in her nurse’s uniform lurking in every shadow. He hears a car pulling up and throws Annie’s ceramic penguin through the window, calling for help. It is the same two cops who questioned Annie—David and Goliath, whose real names are Wicks and McKnight. The sight of Paul’s emaciated body horrifies them. He babbles to them, calling Annie a goddess and warning them she may still be alive. Paul listens as the men investigate the spare bedroom. When Wicks returns, Paul is relieved—Annie must be dead. But Wicks tells him there was no one in the room. Paul screams until he passes out.