"Hitting Hard” is a story about a couple at a crossroads in their relationship. The woman, a high-ranking military officer, has learned she is pregnant and confronts her irritable and cowardly boyfriend with the news. A physical conflict ensues in which the woman, Maddie, beats the crap out of Ace/Alex. The moment in the story when she punches him in the jaw is a real shocker, especially because of the raw fear that it arouses in Alex. He becomes completely submissive and even somewhat repulsed by his partner and they eventually clasp hands and unite for the foreseeable future.
This story has a real honesty to it that I enjoy. It shies away from tricks and abuse of imagery and metaphor in favor of action and dialogue, and the result is a clear, honest story. This is not to say that it is perfect or complete. The characters, namely Alex, could use some expansion. Alex was completely despicable in my reading, and while its fun to sneer at a character in repulsion, it’s much more fulfilling to like a character despite their apparent negativity. I find the decision to position both characters in masculine careers/roles a bit curious. We get a bit of Maddie’s sensitive side, and I think the story could benefit a bit more from her sentimentality that’s featured toward the end.
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