You say hello, I say goodbye. Or vice versa. (image source: Pinterest via Igor Siwanowicz)

Day 23: This is the End, My Only Friend, the End

From me to you

Nadine JL
Nadine JL
Sep 5, 2018 · 4 min read

It’s The End.

Where do you want to be?

Where do you see this headed?

You’ve thought — and lived! — this dream, for so long in your head.

Then you started taking action. Now, you’re somewhere along the way, on that long journey to the distant shore.

If it’s the beginning, and these are your first actions, you’re excited. Maybe you’re getting high on life, maybe you nearly feel clairvoyant with the freshness of your energy. It can transcend walls, ceilings, cities, countries even. You have the world like a crystal ball in front of you. You feel nearly drunk with this newfound power. Everything and everyone is connecting with you. You’re like a bride in heat, a new mother in the bloom of pregnancy, one of the four guys in Swingers, black and white and jazz bars, bunnies and wolves. You know what I mean. You can have everything and anything, but you need nothing. You’ve got it all inside you. You’re complete, at last! So many years of yearning, ended, and you’ve reached a kind of pinnacle. But certainly not the final peak, not the final climb! You’re just starting to cross that sea of blue, and you’re in it for the long game. The waves are rolling onwards, the sun’s beaming down on you, your hair is bright in the wind, your feet are planted on the deck, all eyes are on you and you’re loving it!

Filled with gratitude for all and everyone, you smile and wave, smile and wave. You’ve got your possy. The bros are there beside you. They’re super excited. They can tell you’re going places, and they plan to spot you all the way to the finish line.

ENGAGE, you shout joyfully. You’re preaching the whole way. Spewing epithets and slogans like you’re Jesus on the mount. But then…

Fast forward a few years.

Your mates are gone.

They got fed up, or you did, or both. They jumped ship long ago….

IC: Yeah, yeah, we get it! Bloody hell, you’ve beaten this damn metaphor to death. Where are you going with it, woman?

Me: I know. It’s brutal. I’m honestly just trying to publish 500 words before midnight.

IC: Seriously, it’s time to chuck the grits in that bare old captain’s trunk. They’re stale! Get rid of ‘em! Throw ’em overboard, get this ship to dry land and go back to living!

Me: Are you saying I don’t live? My god, I was busy from morning to night.

IC: Preoccupied, though. That’s not real living.

Me: It’s true. You’re right. I can’t do this anymore, can I. And I’m no good anyway.

IC: I hate to say it, but yeah. Can’t believe the crap you’ve published.

Me: I know, right? What a mess! Makes me tired just thinking about it.

IC: So go to bed. You keep saying you’re going to try for more sleep. Why don’t you make it happen, for once?

Me: Fine.

IC: Er, whaaaat the… you’re really going to give up? Just like that? Um, don’t we, have to like, call in LIAV or something?

Me: I’ve been looking for her everywhere. She’s MIA. Has been for a while. No matter. You finally win. We’re done! You can retire now.

IC: Oh, jeezus… I mean, wow, I’m speechless, I… just didn’t imagine it ending this way…so — I don’t know, abruptly? I mean, your writing definitely is terrible, don’t get me wrong. But, I guess I thought you were dimwitted enough to continue for awhile, and it’s been amusing at times, really quite shockingly guffaw-worthy, to witness the wreckage of your writing, and I feel like I’m kinda going to miss you — I mean, it! I meant it , not you. Definitely not you. I’m gonna…

Me: Dude, chillax. You’re babbling. Well, I’m off. Feeling fabulous, I might add. Finally off the hook. Hey, check out the island just there! It’s like it appeared out of nowhere! Nice lighthouse to hole up in, too. Well, carry on, smell ya later! Or hopefully never!

IC: Ouch. Wow, this is crazy, man. Never thought I’d feel so rotten.

Me: Cheer up. Time heals all wounds. You never liked me — I mean, my writing — anyway, right?

IC: [Silence.]

Me: Oh, hold on. There’s just one more thing…

IC: What?

Me: Gotcha.

IC: Gotcha?

Me: Gotcha.

IC: Ohhhhh. 500 words?

Me: And then some. Thanks for your verbosity. You were amazing! I truly am grateful to you. Couldn’t have made it through without you, really. I was really stuck! If it wasn’t for you, it would have been the real end, for sure!

IC: Well. I… I don’t know what to say.

Me: Probably a good thing, for once. That way, we can both get some sleep! Wink wink, nudge nudge, hey buddy? Nighty night, old friend!

IC: Good night… and… good morrow.

Me: Righto!

— —

Process notes/refs:

  • This is Day 23 of a self-imposed 31-day “Write AND hit Publish” challenge, mostly using Jeff Goins’ “My 500 Words” prompts. Today’s prompt was “Write the End.” Written at Wit’s End, starting at 22:00. Found image and hit publish by 23:30.
  • Title lifted from the The Doors’ song.
  • Dear reader, I can’t thank you enough. You’ve kept me going when times were tough. And… thanks LIAV 😘

Nadine JL

Written by

Nadine JL

Inhaling & exhaling words & images from current vantage point in Zone of Emptiness, France.- ̶T̶a̶g̶l̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶c̶h̶a̶m̶e̶l̶e̶o̶n̶.̶- Moved to bloomwords.com

The Hermit Crab Files

A crabby hermit commits to writing 500 words and hitting "Publish," for 31 days.

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