This challenge is produced by GirlieOnTheEdge with the following simple rules:
Write 6 Sentences. No more. No less.
Use the current week’s prompt word – STRIKE
Click here to hear the author read his words:
Adventures with a Mosquito
This story reflects two of my main Words To Live By, which are, firstly, Every Day is an Adventure, and secondly, I Kill Only Mosquitoes (which, considering that they drink my blood, I feel is almost justifiable).
So, while in the process of clambering into the already running shower, which for reasons of legacy, not choice, is situated over the bath-tub, I see a mosquito on the wall and, due to my somewhat awkward stance, slap* it, somewhat feebly, with my left hand.
Got it, I think triumphantly, then lift my hand and watch said bloodsucker fly, with annoying lack of concern, twice or thrice around my head, before sauntering cheerfully out of the bathroom.
Enraged (or at least a tad miffed) I leap (hirple) from the bath and charge (hirple, hirple) in vengeful pursuit, ignoring the fact that I am (please, Ladysighs, as a lady of class and refinement, avert your eyes and imagination for the next couple of sentences) naked and soaking wet, an unwise combination in an apartment wholly floored with dusty tiles, where I slalom (hirple slidily (I know it’s not, but it’s the best I can do right now)) into my spacious living area, hawklike eyes scanning every nook and cranny (wondering all the while how many nooks and crannies a small room can contain) and come to the saddest realisation of my life, viz. that this is not very smart.
Although my French windows are wide open onto my waist-high glass-walled balcony I am not overly concerned about the prospect of being seen in my current state by anyone with twenty-twenty vision, industrial-strength field glasses and a powerful imagination or excellent memory – they have the option to scream, laugh, or close their eyes – but the prospect of my feet wheeching away from under me is not an attractive one.
As I hirple (hirple), defeated and deflated, back to the shower, I understand that I have become that which we all fear most, grown-up, and I wonder mournfully if my life’s daily adventures are now over.
PS (so not part of the sentence count) It’s okay, Frank, no bloody mosquitoes were splatted in the creation of this anecdote.
PPS (so still not part of the sentence count) I forgot to tell the lovely Ladysighs when she could unavert her eyes, but I guess it probably doesn’t matter as she almost certainly gave up on this twaddle a while back and just went off to read Doug or Jenne or even, in mild desperation, Clark. Ah well…
* I had planned to use the PROMPT WORD: STRIKE here, but it clearly would have been a misuse, or indeed abuse, of the word as it in no way relates to my woeful attempt at pulverising my foe. So, if its inclusion in this pathetic addendum is not enough to satisfy the rules, then I’ll stick next week’s PROMPT WORD in twice.
All those mosquitos in Medville have cousins and relations in Minnesota, and we breed ’em large over here. So you’re quite lucky you missed.
But my mom swears by toothpaste to treat itchy bug bites…so the re’s always that if the wee haggissie beastie comes back. 😉
Yeah, they’re not so big here, more wee sleekit insidious nasties.
And your mum is cool, see my reply to Gr8BigFun below.
Give her a hug from me, Liz!
Will do. Bringing her groceries & goodies next week.
Apparently, there are 17,647,204 mosquitoes in Medville, so had you assassinated it, there would be 17,647,203 seeking revenge.
I blame the interwebthingy. The morning paper was the ideal Instrument of Death, now the wee turds attack with impunity.
Mosquitoes and ugh!bugs (roaches, so called because the only thing you can say when you see them is ugh!) are the only things i do kill. Thank you for this delightful tale, and if you are willing to go after mosquitoes with this much gusto, no, your adventures are nowhere near over.
Ooh, I do like ‘gusto’, although I think it greatly overestimates my energy levels!
But, you’re right, I ain’t deid yet!
So what does it say when the Comment/Reply conversations are as engaging as the Six itself?
lol (Visual of late Saturday night stage in any pub, bar, nightclub open mic… that kinda fun)\
What a fun Six. (From the perspective of being able (and willing) to write a story that, virtually, onomatopoeiastically pounds on the inner surface of the monitor screen.
Skillful chaos yo, skillful chaos
Thanks, Clark, some things you have to laugh at, and I like t start with myself!
So the little chap survived to strike the naked and wet during the night, I suspect it was an itchy morning!
Actually they don’t bother me too much. A wee dab of toothpaste on the bite and itch is gone.
living in the south, misquitoes are a bane of life.
Not too bad here, but that little buzz in the dark is kinda irritating!
So the mosquito had the last laugh after all, CE!
All the way to the (blood)bank!
Thank you for ‘hirple’ and ‘wheeching’. Straight into my lexicon. And also thanks for the referral. In return, I highly recommend that you and Jenne enter post haste this flash fiction competition. My money’s on one or both of you snagging a prize. https://www.storyawards.org/flash-fiction?fbclid=IwAR1BD4nGD2ZAGF_g00Cb7wyiisgVmYeEh4tDRQv9IsgskWnkFUYQwpCYAi8
Cool!
Hirple’s a great word, isn’t it. I just checked what Mr G said and it’s close but, as always, misses the nuances.
I am flattered that you think so highly of my writing, I have already submitted a strange wee piece to them.
Jenne, of course, is a superior writer, but I’m much, much more prolific.
Each has its merits but you’re both in with a big chance in my less than humble estimate.
I probably would have swat that mosquito, but, considering that I also probably would have missed, no mosquito would have been injured in telling the tale.
Live and let live, Frank, it’s not a bad approach
Pingback: Six Sentence Story – A Nice Bath or Lady Strikes Back | ladysighs
This does call for some action or rather reaction.
Thanks, ceayr! We’ll get us a bronze plaque and stick it outside the Wakefield Doctrine Department of Six Sentence Storys:
“Give us your tired, your lovely, Your desperate masses yearning to read free. The averted refuse of your teeming snores.”
lol
Happy to say that normal service is resumed, I have no idea what that’s all about!
Accomplished with aplomb,dear Lady!
Jajajajajajajajaja
Gracias, mi amiga
😄
Right, I’ve stopped laughing now. Wait while I wipe my eyes. I marvel at your ability to take a minor incident – not that an attack by a mosquito can really be called a minor incident – and turn it into such a joyous flight of words. Briliant
See my referral to you and ceayr below and get in it to win it. 🙂
Have you entered, Doug?
Does a koala eat gumleaves? 😉
Thanks for the heads up, Doug. Gratified by your vote of confidence. I might just give it a shot. 😉 As have you since I would imagine koalas do eat gumleaves? (I’ll add that one to the repertoire.)
They do indeed, Jenne, (although they are very choosy about which ones) but they have no stomach for ‘might’ (unless its Vegemite). Go for it. 🙂
Wasn’t so sodding minor when I was skiting – not skating – across the floor like Torvill and bliddy Dean!
Still, eh?
Oh my goodness! I can appreciate going after winged, or crawly creatures I’m averse to. I don’t see mosquitos as a rule–but spiders, ants, flies…they should all know by now that if they enter the sanctity of my bijou premises, I will make every effort to dispatch them to their eternal reward or justice. By “every effort” I mean–every effort fully clothed 🙂 You’re an amazing storyteller–I always enjoy reading your posts 🙂
I am somewhat surprised, Leslie, not only that you are such a killing machine but that you take the time to be properly attired for the hunt! I guess I’m more tolerant, spontaneous and immodest…
PS Thank you once again for your kind words, always appreciated
Hahaha, yeah–I’m a “hang ’em high” judge, no mercy…and usually clothed–with the occasional exception that some spider wishes to join me in the shower uninvited: “bye-bye, so long, farewell, vaya con dios!”
The lack of clothing make you nothing more than a large slab of bait!
Hey, a bit less of the ‘large slab’!