Storm on the Lake
29 Jan 2021Today’s prompt: “Write a scene where a couple get into the biggest argument of their marriage – in a small fishing boat, on their favorite lake, at dawn. The motor broke, and they’re far out.”
“Great. Just great.”
“Look on the bright side,” you say. “It’s real early in the day. There’s bound to be someone else out on the lake eventually that we can flag down.”
“Didn’t I ask you to make sure the motor got serviced earlier this month?”
“Probably.”
“Pretty sure I did. Pretty sure you said you’d take care of it.”
“Look, I’ve got a lot going on.”
“Uh huh. Like Call of Duty.”
“I’m just blowing off some steam. Everybody needs to once in a while. Like you with your friends.”
“Except I didn’t promise to take care of the motor and then blow it off to have a drink with my friends. And now we’re stuck.”
The waters around your boat seem to darken, mirroring the moods of its occupants.
“You could have called the mechanic too.”
“I do. So much around our house. I don’t think it’s too much to expect you to chip in a little effort every once in a while!”
“Hey, I’ve tried helping out around the house before!”
“And you did it so badly, it was obvious you were just trying to get out of it!”
“It’s not my fault you didn’t tell me all of your demanding specs for exactly how to clean the fucking bathroom!”
“You could have just looked at it and seen what was still dirty!”
“Well I’m sorry I didn’t notice all the filth I apparently left behind! Whatever you were seeing, I didn’t see it!”
“You didn’t even look! Whatever! That was two years ago, and I’ve been cleaning the bathrooms ever since, and you can’t even call the boat repair shop and make an appointment!”
“Okay, okay! It’s all my fault. Jesus Christ! Are you happy now?”
The lake seems almost to be teeming with angry movement, like dark, fast-moving storm clouds amassing underwater.
“Who’s Hayden?” you ask.
A pause. “You’re just trying to change the subject.”
“I think I have a right to know.”
“A friend. Just a friend.”
“It seems like every time your phone is sitting on the counter, there’s a new message from them.”
“There is nothing there. You’re just jealous! And trying to deflect away from the fact that we’re stuck here in the middle of the lake because of you.”
“Look, I’m not accusing you of having an affair.”
“I’m not!”
“I didn’t say that. But you know, there’s such a thing as an emotional affair.”
“Hayden is just a friend.”
“If you say so. I’m just saying we don’t exactly talk like we used to.”
The waters are roiling now.
“Maybe that’s because you’re playing Call of Duty while I’m doing the dishes.”
“Oh come on, that’s like once a month. That’s my time with my friends. Are you trying to separate me from my friends?”
“No. Rrr. It’s just, the division of labor at our house is messed up. I do way more of the work than you. It’s exhausting. And then you complain that I’m not there for you emotionally? Maybe I’d be there for you emotionally if you could wash a fucking dish once in a while.”
“All you have to do is ask!”
“Why do I always have to ask? Why can’t you volunteer to do things sometimes?”
“If I do the dishes, will you stop fucking Hayden?”
“I’m not! Fucking! Hayden!”
The clouds beneath your boat burst, and the kraken, drawn by your angry shouts, wraps its arms around the boat and pulls you under.