A picture is worth a thousand words.
What I see
This image shows a sand sculpture of a giant shark with wide teeth grinning. The shark is very big and looks cartoonish with big eyes, a mischievous smile full of sharp triangular teeth, and a confident posture.
At the bottom of the sculpture, there’s a small diver with goggles and fins, alongside a friendly-looking fish, both looking much smaller to the shark.
What I feel
The shark's teeth and facial expression- smile looks mischievous and somehow tricky. I'm having a slightly suspenseful feeling like the diver and fish are unaware they’re right in front of a massive predator.
Storytelling- Outsmarted.
Ai generated image
Julius was a smart boy, brilliant, but troublesome. Almost all the boys in the community feared him, not because he was cruel, but because he always had a trick up his sleeve. One day, while passing by an abandoned building, he overheard a group of boys plotting to attack him.
They spoke in hushed but angry tones, clearly fed up with Julius’ clever behaviour. As they finalized their plan, he noticed that they had stationed a boy outside as a guard. Thinking quickly, Julius sneaked up, pounced on the unsuspecting guard, beat him up, and took his clothes, helmet, and mask. Disguised as the guard, he walked confidently back into the hideout.
Before the leader of the gang could ask why he had left his post, Julius, still in disguise, raised a hand and said, “I have a better plan, master.”
Everyone turned to him with interest.
He stepped forward and began mapping out a grand scheme. “We all know Julius loves playing under the rain,” he began. “So, when he does, we’ll set a trap using a football his favorite. Once he kicks the ball, it’ll roll towards the direction of the dreaded beehive and get stuck. Naturally, he’ll go to retrieve it.”
The boys leaned in.
“That’s when the bees will come after him. He’ll run of course to that nearby compound, the one with the two angry bulldogs. And when they chase him, he’ll have no choice but to climb the nearest tree.”
A few of them chuckled.
“But that tree is filled with snakes will be slippery from the rain. So when he see a snake on it, he’ll slip and fall straight into the muddy pit beneath and that’s where the real fun begins.”
The leader clapped and said “You’re brilliant"
Julius bowed smiling and replied “Just like you, Master.”
None of them suspected that the plan was actually meant for them.
To make the trap more realistic, Julius offered to lead them to the exact locations to verify the setup. As they walked from point to point, the gang members laughed and nodded, impressed by how detailed and dangerous the plan was.
When they arrived at the muddy pit, the leader suggested, “Let’s add some thorn to make it more uncomfortable.”
One of the boys, laughing, added, “Let’s also pee into it, that way, when he falls in, it’ll be the worst fall of his life.”
They all agreed and took turns urinating into the muddy pit, still unaware that their ‘guide’ was Julius in disguise.
As they laughed and talked among themselves, Julius quietly stepped back, removed the helmet, mask, and guard’s clothes, and stood with arms crossed, waiting for them to turn around.
When they finally did, he shouted, “Haaaaaa!”
The boys froze.
In complete shock, they realized who had been leading them all along. In a panic, they tried to flee, but with nowhere else to go, they all leapt into the very mud pit they had just so proudly contaminated.
Thorns, pee, and sticky mud covered their bodies. Julius stood at the edge, laughing heartily.
“You were right about one thing,” he said, still chuckling. “I’m very intelligent.”
Just then, the real guard, who had been beaten up, came running down the hill, panting heavily.
“Master! He beat me up and took my clothes, helmet, and mask!”
Julius gave the soaked, smelly boys one last mocking bow and ran off, laughing hard.
Thanks for reading
@ritaetim