Joe leaned over the bridge, peering into the murky depths of the waters swirling below.
Dark clouds were looming on the horizon, moving in his direction and he had decisions to make.
Joe was a Trojan horse, offering himself as a charming gift to the world, while concealing the dark malevolence lurking within.
He had been a hustler for most of his life, stalking random victims, preying on their trust and innocence.
Justice was finally catching up with him as the web of illusion he had spun for years was finally unraveling.
He smiled, shrugged off his discomfort, turned from the bridge and embraced his destiny.
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It makes me wonder how the web of illusion will unravel in Joe’s destiny. I like the description of him as a Trojan Horse.
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Thanks, Frank. Enticing people with the illusion of riches is an old tried and tested idea. Investment counselors, casinos and government lotteries to name a few.
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i enjoyed reading your story.
Somehow, it makes me think that all of us may be spinning a “web of illusion” of one sort or another, not necessarily to deceive others, but for many other purposes…
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Very true, Romi. I still buy my weekly lottery tickets. never won anything yet but still hoping.
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Was clarity and a sense of penance what sent Joe to the bridge? What form justice? Literal or that which his conscience would mete out.
Ponderous Six!
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Thanks, Denise. He was thinking, should I throw myself in the river and end it all, because he did not relish prison. But then decided he was smarter than the law.
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Thought provoking SSS. Well done. I wonder if he is going to be able to embrace his destiny without having to fullly embrace the discomfort.
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Thanks, Pat. Joe is a con man and always thinks he will win, discomfort doesn’t enter his mindset.
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I enjoy your stories Len and I like the way you describe Jo as a Trojan horse – there are certainly some of those in the world of politics. Once they’re in – very difficult to get them out.
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Thanks, Kate. I agree with you on politicians. They use our money to either line their own pockets or waste it on useless programs.
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Just enough to start us thinking…
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Yes indeed. Hard to write a complete story in six sentences.
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No, I’m finding that, too. I aim for 1-minute posts but at that length it is hard to say much.
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It was easy to picture him standing alone in the gloom on that bridge. I like how unhurried and undramatic this piece is – sparse, as justice is catching him up and he embraces his destiny.
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Thanks. I pictured him as a psychopath with no feeling. Which is why he was able to languidly think things through.
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Yes, I thought psycopath too and wondered if he was a killer, then I thought maybe a manipulator con artist out to steal riches.
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Tempting to draw, from this Six, the lesson that the dark side (that lies within us all, dormant of otherwise), demands its pound of flesh sooner or later.
A rhetorical still life of the wages of sin.
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Actions always have consequences, Clark. Except for politicians. Our prime minister Justin Trudeau has been caught in a conflict of interest for the third time. The first two without consequences and probably will be no action taken on this third conflict, still under investigation. If he was CEO of a corporation he would be fired by now.
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What clark said. This was great and causes one to think and then run from their thoughts. Great job.
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Thanks, Paul. ” Signor Antonio, many a time and oft, in the Rialto, you have rated me about my money and my usances, but still have I borne it with a patient shrug”.
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I totally agree with Kate. Great take on the prompt.
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Thanks, Susan. I was thinking of all those shady investment counselors who swindle people out of their money. The Ponzi schemes.
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Cool. Another six that shows a turning point. I like how he owns up at the end.
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Thanks, D. Only he knows what his destiny will be. He’s not sharing it with me.
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What goes around comes around, or, we reap what we sow. Someday it will catch up to him, it’s inescapable.
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I agree, Mimi. Karma.
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Nice take on the prompt, Len. I’ve met that horse. Joe seems rather nonchalant about the whole thing, which is par for the course.
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Thanks, Abi. Yes, I think con men can’t have a conscience. Too self-centred on their own needs and wants.
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I agree, Len. BTW, I wrote a post today, based on your “request” questions.😊
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Only time will tell but you sure wound up the clock.
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Thanks, Lisa. Yes, he is going tick, tock, tick, tock throughout his life.
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I first thought his plan was going to be suicide, but after reading the rest of the story, I think he was going to jump in the water to escape.
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When I wrote the first line, I intended him to commit suicide. But, whenever I sit down to write, the keyboard seems to have a life of its own and ignores my initial thoughts. If he was a psychopath, he would not give in, but continue to think he could game the system. Thanks for visiting and commenting, Dyanne.
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Wow, this is cool. He understands himself; so who knows, maybe his lack of self-illusion will keep him going for a while longer. You show great skill in crafting this person–I mean, character.
I hope you have a good, new week, Len. (I’m late and trying to catch up. It’s Sunday evening.)
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Thanks for your kind comments, Christopher. I understand only too well in trying to catch up with blogs. Especially in these Summer months, when Mother Nature beckons.
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Wow. I liked this, Len. It flowed beautifully, created a compelling character, and what a great hook! All in six sentences. The Trogan Horse metaphor worked wonderfully. It added all kinds of depth without having to explain. This could be the opening for a book. 🙂
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Thanks for your kind words, Diana. I haven’t tried more than 600 words in my two years of blogging. Maybe it’s time to stretch a bit and test my limits. I might copy some other bloggers I follow and try serializing a story.
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Oooh. You certainly have the talent for it. 🙂
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