| 11.
Avoiding the Problem, Never Solves It |
Rosella
stood on the damp moss island staring at the cobra as it fluidly swayed
back in forth, lulling her as
nature had so intended; but the princess was actively on her guard. Shaking her head, her long blonde braids
whipped about as she resisted the deadly tranquility of the large snake.
nature had so intended; but the princess was actively on her guard. Shaking her head, her long blonde braids
whipped about as she resisted the deadly tranquility of the large snake.
The island was
nothing more than a narrow moss bed, with the still ugly previously
bearing magical fruit
tree in the center, and the coiled cobra positioned under it’s shady canopy. There wasn’t enough room to
walk around on the snake because the island was just too narrow. It could definitely strike her from either
side. And walking directly past it was simply ludicrous. Her floor length skirt might have helped if not for
the high cut slit that exposed her white stockings with each step. And the snake seemed all too eager to offer
a bite on whichever slender exposed ankle the young princess wished.
tree in the center, and the coiled cobra positioned under it’s shady canopy. There wasn’t enough room to
walk around on the snake because the island was just too narrow. It could definitely strike her from either
side. And walking directly past it was simply ludicrous. Her floor length skirt might have helped if not for
the high cut slit that exposed her white stockings with each step. And the snake seemed all too eager to offer
a bite on whichever slender exposed ankle the young princess wished.
Convinced her
sheer white stockings were not going to offer the “support” she needed,
Rosella decided her
only option would be to make a wider arc around the snake, and as it would have to be, the island itself. That
meant, venturing out into the murky waters.
only option would be to make a wider arc around the snake, and as it would have to be, the island itself. That
meant, venturing out into the murky waters.
She stood
looking into the green and brown sludge for many moments, staring down
at her clean white legs,
and lush red gown. After several absurd moments of deliberation, she decided that the swamp waters would
not be turning into the crystal blue of the fountains she was so fond of sitting by in the royal garden. With a
sigh, Rosella took a couple of measured steps into the thick sludge reacting with a gasp as her pristinely
white stockings, soaked up water like a thin sponge. She began making her arc around the guarded island,
but the further she got away from the moss-covered land, the deeper the murky water seemed to get. But the
naïve princess didn’t notice the rising waterline. Her little blonde head filled with girlish lamentation and
nonsense about ruining brand new stockings, and the beautiful gown she had picked out to wear to the royal
ball being in thrown in honor of her upcoming 18th birthday. The dress fit her petite body perfectly!
and lush red gown. After several absurd moments of deliberation, she decided that the swamp waters would
not be turning into the crystal blue of the fountains she was so fond of sitting by in the royal garden. With a
sigh, Rosella took a couple of measured steps into the thick sludge reacting with a gasp as her pristinely
white stockings, soaked up water like a thin sponge. She began making her arc around the guarded island,
but the further she got away from the moss-covered land, the deeper the murky water seemed to get. But the
naïve princess didn’t notice the rising waterline. Her little blonde head filled with girlish lamentation and
nonsense about ruining brand new stockings, and the beautiful gown she had picked out to wear to the royal
ball being in thrown in honor of her upcoming 18th birthday. The dress fit her petite body perfectly!
It was the next
step she took that finally shook the frivolous fashion
perils from her teenage mind; the one where she didn’t feel anything
solid underfoot. Rosella quickly gathered her wits together,
scattering her imagination of everyone wowed by her beautiful
vermilion dress at the ball, but it was too late. The murky swamp
had already claimed the slender waist of the foolishly mind
wandering princess. Used to getting what she wanted, Rosella
pointed her toes downward, reaching for any hint of solid ground
deep below in the muck. She found no such rescue. The quagmire
seemed impartial to the perils of the porcelain skinned beauty.
perils from her teenage mind; the one where she didn’t feel anything
solid underfoot. Rosella quickly gathered her wits together,
scattering her imagination of everyone wowed by her beautiful
vermilion dress at the ball, but it was too late. The murky swamp
had already claimed the slender waist of the foolishly mind
wandering princess. Used to getting what she wanted, Rosella
pointed her toes downward, reaching for any hint of solid ground
deep below in the muck. She found no such rescue. The quagmire
seemed impartial to the perils of the porcelain skinned beauty.
At first, her
blue eyes looked all around her clouding up with the smoke of
confusion. After the first drips
of mud seeped into the neckline of her once lovely dress, panic set in. Rosella raised her arms above her
head, extending her long slender fingers outwardly in an almost begging manner. “Somebody help me,
please!” She wheezed as the pressure of the bog crushed her petite torso. Rosella tasted the salt from a
thin stream of tears flowing down from her wide blue eyes into the corners of her ruby red lips. Her braids
were golden water snakes laid out upon the top of the green surface of the swamp as the mud smeared her
delicate chin. She had just enough time to ponder her foolish decision, take a gulp of ear and squeeze her
eyes shut, as she slipped beneath the quagmire. Way to circumvent THAT problem, Rosella! And then…
of mud seeped into the neckline of her once lovely dress, panic set in. Rosella raised her arms above her
head, extending her long slender fingers outwardly in an almost begging manner. “Somebody help me,
please!” She wheezed as the pressure of the bog crushed her petite torso. Rosella tasted the salt from a
thin stream of tears flowing down from her wide blue eyes into the corners of her ruby red lips. Her braids
were golden water snakes laid out upon the top of the green surface of the swamp as the mud smeared her
delicate chin. She had just enough time to ponder her foolish decision, take a gulp of ear and squeeze her
eyes shut, as she slipped beneath the quagmire. Way to circumvent THAT problem, Rosella! And then…
-The End
