I exhaust my arsenal of survival strategies too soon. My spirit depleted, your clever ruses skew my sense of worthiness.
Changing tactics, I keep to the shallows where my choices are clear. Accustom to playing your mind games and navigating your sins of omission, my last chance at victory is the uncomplicated truth. A secret weapon you won’t expect this late in our hostilities.
I break the surface, coming up for air. Fortified, I take a last look back, gauging your apathy toward my pending escape, and do the only thing left for me to do…
…head for open water.
*Photo venue: Henderson Beach State Park, Destin, FL
Thin spiral notebook 
can I just say: I love your images. That fish is so cool. And it plays nicely with the metaphor
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This is crafted so carefully, each word a well chosen stone and through it all such a sense of emotion. And above all of that imbued with a sense of peace.
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beautiful
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i agree. excellent use of metaphor here. and i admire how you managed to combine both prompts in one post. bravo
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A beautiful metaphor.
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I like this very much. Here’s hoping those open waters fare better.
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I love the extended metaphor here — great way to use both prompts!
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you know how sometimes you read something and you feel like …”I could have written that, I wish I had written that.”
I just felt that.
Point the way to the open water…every word was just brilliant and beautiful.
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Great use of metaphor and a thoughtful take on how to deal with an impossible relationship. Good one!
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Ohh … I like it. I like how these words are few, but powerful. Your camouflaged meaning has tremendous feeling. And a sense of freedom.
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