Prompt 258-Obstacle

What is standing in your way right now?

“I can’t let you do this.” Sean stands between me and my target. His face pleads with me to stop my charge, to turn around and forget my mission.

But I can’t. “Move.” It is not a polite suggestion. I will trample him in my conquest.

“You promised.” His voice is stern. He hopes to appeal to my loyal nature. I have no empathy for him tonight.

“Stand aside.” I make my voice commanding. He towers over me, but I am the one doing the intimidating here. I am the force that will not be stopped. He will move.

He gives me one last pitying frown. “You’re going to regret this.”

Regret was something Future Ash could deal with. “I won’t ask you again.” Sean sighed his defeat and removed himself from my warpath.

I opened the freezer and pulled out the tub of Rocky Road ice cream. Ripping off the top, I dug straight into it with a spoon. Sean shook his head as he watched me shovel chocolatey, creamy goodness into my mouth while sulking on the floor. “Is he really worth the stomachache you’re going to have from eating that?”

I swallow another bite of ice cream, flinching as it pains my head to swallow so quickly. “It makes me happy now. I’ll make my peace with the toilet later.” And with Jesse too. One way or another.

“Suit yourself.” Sean shrugged as he turned to leave. “Just don’t come crying to me when your stomach revolts against you. I tried to make you keep your promise to lay off the dairy.”

I stick my tongue out at his back as he exits the kitchen. The pain would be worth the look on Jesse’s face when he realized I had finished off his ice cream. That would teach him to cheat. I returned the empty container to the freezer for Jesse to find. Revenge was a dish best served cold after all.

Notes: Ok so this one is a little silly. I had the opening dialogue in my head and thought I would go a more angsty, tense route, but then I got myself some ice cream and thought “wouldn’t it be funny if this character is just a huge drama queen and their roommate won’t let them have ice cream?” I left it as ambiguous as possible because sometimes that’s even more comical. I’m not sure what Jesse cheated on. Was it relationship cheating, or did he cheat in a game to beat Ash? Who knows? Certainly not me. Never mind I wrote the damn thing.

Obstacles are important in stories. They test our characters in many ways, teaching them about themselves whether they succeed or fail. And they should fail, at least sometimes. There’s no conflict if they get around every obstacle with ease.

For myself, the biggest thing that stands in my way is, well, myself. I think I’m in a good place right now, but when I get low, I’m usually tripping over myself and being mean to myself. That’s not healthy or ok, but I’m conscious of it and working to be better about it.

Speaking of taking better care of myself, it is time for me to go to bed. It’s Wednesday which means we’re halfway through the week! Hurrah! Time to push through the last couple work days until the weekend! We got this! Have a great night and I’ll see you tomorrow!

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