Trifecta: Week Sixty-Five
After letting us have some fun with Hyperbole ,this week Trifecta has decided to let us exhaust ourselves;-)
this week’s one-word prompt:
EXHAUST (transitive verb)
1a : to consume entirely : use up <exhausted our funds in a week>
b : to tire extremely or completely <exhausted by overwork>
c : to deprive of a valuable quality or constituent <exhaust a photographic developer>
2a : to draw off or let out completely
b : to empty by drawing off the contents; specifically : to create a vacuum in
3a : to consider or discuss (a subject) thoroughly or completely
- Your response must be between 33 and 333 words.
- You must use the 3rd definition of the given word in your post.
- The word itself needs to be included in your response.
- You may not use a variation of the word; it needs to be exactly as stated above.
- Only one entry per writer.
- Trifecta is open to everyone. Please join us.
So,after spending some time trying to exhaust all ideas,I fell back on my exhausted brain to churn up something & here is what it produced 😛
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A matter of routine
Everything was spick & span-just as Paul liked & expected.Stella looked at herself in the mirror & smiled.Her new hairstyle suited her .Her heart fluttered-in a mix of anticipation,fear & hope.
She trembled thinking of what may happen if she failed.Bracing herself ,she shook her head,as if that would clear the cobwebs of panic that tried to cling to her fragile self confidence.But,she told herself,she would not let these thoughts exhaust her.This time she was ready.
She heard a taxi stop & then the door opened.It was time for it to all begin-or end..
“What the hell is going on here?I leave for two days & you go get yourself made up to look like a harlot?” Paul hurled abuses at her & Stella could see his fists curling up.She knew what was coming & cringed.
Within minutes,she felt his fist smashing into her face & blood poured out of her nose.She fell to the floor,The sight of blood delighted Paul & he rained a few more punches & kicks on her prone form.Stella did not utter a word.
She heard him pouring a drink & switching on the TV.She slowly dragged herself to her feet & stumbled to the bathroom.After cleaning herslf up,she went to check on the dinner & started setting the table.
She heard him get up & run the bath.She held her breath.Soon,the door closed & she could hear him humming-everything was always a routine for him-any discrepancy with his orderly world meant punishment for Stella.
An hour later she was on the phone calling up the Police.Her husband was not opening the bathroom door & neither answering her,she sobbed.
The Police broke open the door-to find her husband,lying dead on the floor.His drink had spilled on to the floor & the almost empty bottle of whisky stood nearby.It seemed that in his drunken stupor he had failed to realize that the Geyser had a leakage & he had died of electric shock.
Poor Paul….
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Oh my! I love the ending!
:-)Thank you Deana-am lagging behind this week-again,lol!Just catching up on responding to the comments on my last submission-then will rush to start reading the whopping 65 entries(mopping my brow) 😀
You don’t have to you know, only if you want to…Don’t feel like you have to or something’s going to happen… 🙂
Oh I know that but I hate missing out on reading the submissions & as of now I do manage to find time:-)
Poor Paul indeed ………..
second time this thought came to me. First time when I saw an octopus being boiled whole in a recipe show. 🙂
Ha!ha!I had forgotten about that Paul totally :P.Thank you for reading:-)
I thought this was going to be a romantic story at first… till Paul stepped through the door. He was a real son-of-a-bitch… she is free, but I’m not sure that will make her happy. Your use of the ampersand is interesting. It looks like old fashioned writing. I wasn’t sure what a Geyser was, assuming maybe a Jacuzzi, and went to your ‘about’ page to see where you wrote about where you live… there is nothing about you on your ‘about’ page, and I see you write with an & all the time. I may have to try that sometime. Nice to see Paul looking like your illustration… good one.
Thank you for reading & the interesting feedback.Yes,am guilty of not filling in “about”-a fellow Trifectan & a good friend asked me to long back but am just too lazy & do not know what I am about :P-but I promise to do something about it soon:-)I am from India -so now you know where that geyser came from,ha!ha!I did wonder about that to my daughter while posting but then thought,ah,they will know.Re the “&”-I guess its a habit-will try to outgrow it-I also use abbreviations all the time-here I take care not to for you all are such refined writers &a m in constant awe.LOL@ yr last comment Ted,thank you once again:-)
Don’t stop the &!
LOL!ok & 😉
Poor Paul indeed… 😉 I like to see the villain get his just desserts. Well done.
;-)Me too-thank you Sandra
Hee hee! I hate to laugh but I’m thrilled with his ultimate demise!!! Great ending!!!
Ha!Ha!Glad that you feel that way Gina-I feel gleeful too,thank u:-)
I was really angry at her for just taking it, letting him do that to her, staying with him…UGH! HATE men like that!!!
I know-me too-I cannot understand women who take abuse-my hubby remarked when he heard me reading the piece out to my daughter-what a cruel man-& I was glad that I am married to a gentle soul:-)Thank you for taking time to read & comment Scriptor:-)
He got what he DESERVED!
Yep:-)
I totally agree with Scriptor Obscura.
:-)Thk u Bee
This was so much fun to read! Love how she went about her routine, leaving us to wonder what was going to happen next. Great ending – just desserts for such an awful man!
Thank you Suzanne,glad you agree that he got his comeuppance:-)
hmmm. ok, that was a rather stark and dark trifecta:)
;-)Thks for stopping by:-)
Oh, my. Karma. 😉
Love it. Nice take.
Thank you 🙂
What a shocking end. Sorry, I’m sure you’ve heard that one a few times. Actually, quite a lovely end, considering he got what was coming to him and she didn’t even have to lift a finger. Nicley done.
:-)Thank you for making me smile with your warm comment Lumdog.
I like the new look of your blog. As we both have a Stella this week, I’m happy that yours got her revenge. Mine will need some time, she’s a little out of her league. I love your graphic. I can’t agree that Paul deserves a “poor.” He was a mean son of a gun. Good for Stella!
Thank you Steph:-thought that it being a Valentine month,I should give it a cosy look,he!he!Ah,there are Stellas & there are Stellas-well,am sure she will get there ,by & by.Ha!ha!That graphic really had me giggling-glad that you liked it.Oops!”Poor” was meant in a sarcastic-funny way -sorry it fell flat 😛
Sometimes the simple things, like crossing a wire, make all there difference. Good story!
Ha!ha!So true-thanks for liking it:-)
poor Paul… Nah.. he deserved it! lol loved the ending .. and that image! haha great story. i like how it’s serious and sad yet ended up to be humorous in a way ^^
Yep he did & that’s why the “sarcastic-funny” “poor Paul” at the end;-)Glad you liked it,thank you Dear Kz:-)
Oh yeah, we’re all reeeeeal sorry about Paul… (:
Tee!hee!You got it right Pal;-)Thank you
Aw, how sad that happened…nah, not really. He deserved it. Her life wasn’t great with him, but I hope she can life without him.
Oh yes,she will thrive-am sure of that:-)
Thank you Janna for always reading:-)
Wow, that was intense. We were looking for the third definition of exhaust/ You used the first definition. We’re still glad you shared. Thanks for linking up!
oops!That’s what happens when one is suffering a migraine:-(Wish someone had pointed out -would have corrected it-sigh,.never mind!
Poor Paul indeed…these nasty creeps give men a terrible name….you ‘dealt’ with him well!
True & thank you:-)
Terrible to have to have fantasies like these… Great portrayal of intense evil!
Thank you Kymm:-)Am disappointed in myself that I got the meaning wrong in my haste:-(