J is for Jellyfish Jollification

Day 10 of the challenge!

My theme is NIFTY NUGGETS. Little nuggets of writing based on a photo, a phrase and an object, which is designed to encourage lean, tight writing. I’m aiming for a word count of under 300 words.

Thank you to L.Diane Wolfe for providing the beautiful photo prompts.  You can visit her blog to check out more pictures.

JELLYFISH JOLLIFICATION

JELLYFISH JOLLIFICATION

PHRASE – wading in an ice cold stream

OBJECT – collage

When I think back, I always wonder which incident marked the beginning of the end? It’s a bit of a blur…

Actually, it was gradual, a number of incidents over a period of time, which unfolded as a collage, the bright and happy memories interspersed with the warning signs. I chose the path of ignorance, after all, everything was hunky-dory. But the Saturday picnic trips began to dwindle, visits were cut short as he had work matters to attend to, the ever-increasing out-of-town meetings, a whiff of perfume here and there…

The final was his pictures on the Facebook timeline of a complete stranger. The two looked quite cosy as they gazed at the lens.

Now that one really stung.

You know the hot shooting pain that you experience as that fragile, gelatinous body brushes up against you, at the height of your beach jollification,when you least expect it?

Ouch!

I should have seen it coming. Time and time again, I had been warned. He’ll suck you in, mess you around and then as the truth sinks in, your emotions run the gamut from hot to cold, just like the shock of stepping from a hot dry surface and into an ice-cold mountain stream with a pair of leaking waders which will guarantee a very quick, cold and wet end.

We’re just good friends, nothing more.

I’ll be careful, after all forewarned is forearmed.

Oh, I was smart, all right! For every piece of advice, I had the perfect response.

They said he didn’t consciously seek out his victims. He was simply an expert at spotting an opportunity, and he knew exactly when to pounce.

Now a few thousand dollars poorer, and my heart in pieces, I can bear testament to that fact.

21 Comments

  1. Mary Aalgaard on April 13, 2015 at 12:40 pm

    That is one nasty jellyfish! Great writing.

  2. Alex J. Cavanaugh on April 13, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    Sucked her money as well? Now that’s evil.

    • Michelle Wallace on April 13, 2015 at 2:06 pm

      There are lots of these ‘stingers’ lurking… just waiting for the right moment…

  3. stephen tremp on April 13, 2015 at 1:33 pm

    Very true about a lot of people. They do not seek out someone to exploit. Rather, they look for an opportunity regardless of the source.

    • Michelle Wallace on April 13, 2015 at 2:07 pm

      Maybe it’s a form of self-justification… Who knows?

  4. C. Lee McKenzie on April 13, 2015 at 3:05 pm

    I could feel the sting all the way to here! Loved the writing and the connection to the image.

  5. L. Diane Wolfe on April 13, 2015 at 3:15 pm

    She really got stung by him.

  6. Tyrean on April 13, 2015 at 4:23 pm

    Ouch. That seriously stung. Nice writing!

  7. Patricia Lynne on April 13, 2015 at 5:31 pm

    Ouch. She got stung bad.

    ~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
    Member of C. Lee’s Muffin Commando Squad
    Story Dam
    Patricia Lynne, Indie Author

  8. Hilary on April 13, 2015 at 6:31 pm

    Hi Michelle .. great story – love the idea of jellyfish leeching out life of someone .. and jellyfish do sting horribly .. I spent many a time crying as a kid .. with my grandmother not being very sympathetic … !! Great photo of Diane’s too ..

    Cheers Hilary

    • Michelle Wallace on April 13, 2015 at 8:22 pm

      They sting when you least expect it… without warning! 🙂

  9. joylene on April 13, 2015 at 7:53 pm

    It’s funny you should pick jellyfish because we just got back from Bucerias where they seem more abundant than normal. Several people I know purchased wet suits so they could swim in the ocean without fear of being stung.

    • Michelle Wallace on April 13, 2015 at 8:23 pm

      Your Bucerias photos are gorgeous, Joylene! 🙂
      Seems like you have loads of fun there.

  10. Nilanjana Bose on April 14, 2015 at 9:18 pm

    Plenty of (jelly)fish in the waters 🙂 Just catching up here.

    Best,
    Nila.

  11. Debbie D. on April 16, 2015 at 12:55 am

    Those jellyfish sure are nasty! Great analogy. 🙂

Leave a Comment


Notice: Undefined variable: user_ID in /home/writerintrans/public_html/wp-content/themes/bb-theme/comments.php on line 69