Eight Cases of Jane

by Ryan J. Powell

“At any point during this elongated death, did you consider stopping?” “Absolutely not.” “And why not, Jane?” “Women are always punished for their sins; why couldn’t he be?” “What women?” “Jezebel, Delilah, Eve, for example.” “Eve?”

"Eve's the reason all women experience pain on the level that they do, right? God wasn't merciful to her nor to anyone else. Why must I be merciful to man?"

“I am the ventriloquist!” she yells above the howl of the wind. “The medium; the oracle; keeper of the ōḇ; Pythia, the Witch of Endor. I am Jezebel; I am Delilah; I am Eve; I am Zuleika; I am Athalia; I am Jane. I am all

women who were wronged, all women who will be wronged, and all women who committed wrong on behalf of men.”