Prompt by: Gibberish:FFF - Volcano
Prompts: a dormant volcano, effortlessly strenuous, which way should we go, a pilgrimage
Photo by: Photo by USGS on Unsplash
“It was effortlessly strenuous," Maureen stated in the middle of the conversation.
June almost choked on her BLT. Once she got herself under control she asked the question that had been coming forward when she started choking. “It either has no effort or it is strenuous. It can’t be both. They are opposites,” she stated as the coughing feeling started again.
Maureen sighed. “Of course it can. It was hard to do but I made it look easy.”
“Seriously?”
“Of course. How else does one go through life without making the hard look easy?”
“So your pilgrimage took you past the dormant volcanoes up to the ridge where the commune was located?”
“It was a long hike but I held up rather well.”
“And Lester?”
“Unfortunately he disagreed with my decision after he asked which way we should go.”
June did a double gulp. “So he is at home resting?”
Maureen sighed, “No. Unfortunately he is down about four thousand feet on the side of the dormant volcano. It’s in a remote area that’s hard to get to.”
“You left him there?” asked an incredulous June.
“The local police are on it. I am sure they will find a way to bring him up and send him home.”
“Let me see if I understand this. He disagreed with you and went a different way. He fell off a cliff. You went on for a fabulous 3 weeks at the retreat,”
“Without my luggage,” Maureen added.
“Without your luggage. And returned home without your husband.”
“Pretty much,” Maureen replied as a police officer approached our table.
“Mrs. McAllister?” asked the first police officer with her hand on her gun.
“Yes,” answered Maureen.
“We need you to come with us.”
“Why?” Maureen asked.
“We have been asked to bring you in on suspicion of murder.”
“Preposterous,” was her reply.
Maureen,” June called out. Maureen looked over at June. “Effortlessly strenuous,” she said as she rose from the table while the police placed handcuffs on Maureen. “I’ve got the bill,” were the last words either said to each other.