'i 'm not , i 'm not , i 'm not , i 'm not , i 'm not , i 'm not , i 'm not- ' no protests from asper , no denial but for the feeble defence she tried to muster , raising her hands to protect her face , futilely , as the shict blindly lashed out and struck her over and over , once for each word , each kiss of fist to face a confirmation , each bruise that blossomed a reality .