With this cryptic pronouncement - wasps are good for pain - the Deer Woman steps across the hall with her jar in hand, then kneels down before the glass door. He decides to follow her, a dull resentment pulling him forward. He realizes that it's this damn door that's still got him worked up.
"The door won't let me through," he whines to the Deer Woman, while she sets the jar before the door, just in front of the small hole through which the snake he'd been following had entered. She then leans forward and flips the switch above the hole. A light humming sound emits from the door, matched by an increase in buzzing from within the jar.
"Why is that?" asks the Deer Woman, while reaching again for the jar before her.
"It wouldn't accept my new name," he pouts, arms outstretched. "It denied my existence."
The Deer Woman looks up at him with a sad smile, and then unscrews the cap on the jar. The wasps surge out of the jar and directly to the hole, rushing through in a swirling river.
Except for one wasp, that careens away from the rest, and in it's solitude finds a new purpose: to dart straight at him. Before he can do anything the wasp stings him on the neck.
"Owww!" he cries out.
The Deer Woman's smile widens. "Existence validated."
This has been the Thirteenth Chapter of Act Two for my ongoing #freewrite serial story.
ACT TWO CHAPTERS
Chapter One *** Chapter Two *** Chapter Three
Chapter Four*** Chapter Five*** Chapter Six
Chapter Seven*** Chapter Eight*** Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten*** Chapter Eleven*** Chapter Twelve
Here is Chapter Fourteen.
And here is the ACT ONE Chapter List, with all of the links for Act One.
Written in five minutes from the writing prompt, "solitary" as part of the #freewrite exercise. Image is by me as well. You can view the prompt here. Be sure to keep the other entries company. Thanks to @mariannewest for creating and running this retreat for all of the lonely lost within our worldly wilderness.
Writing and images by Greg McCann, the author of this post and owner of this Steemit Channel. To view more of my work, please visit www.fireawaymarmot.com.