Finding Ninee » Sharing our parenting and special needs stories with heart and humor.

The Final Diving Trip, a Six Sentence Story

“Babe, help me up – the ladder isn’t down for some reason, and I’m exhausted,” he said treading water, smiling (and twitching a bit) at the thought of his notebook waiting for his recordings of the sea life diversity he’d seen while diving.

She looked at him, reached for the rope before getting lost in thought about the rope that bound her as recently as last Tuesday, and thought of his smile that day and how it mocked and spoke of the 1,001 cruelties he just might do to her and had done to her, before.

She thought about visits to her sister’s, how her mom turned her back on her bruised cheeks, and about how she wasn’t allowed to have friends over because he needed a perfectly quiet house, a perfectly quiet wife, and dinner at exactly 7:05 each evening, with the starch and veggies chopped just so, even though she didn’t eat starch because what would happen were she even fatter?  

She reached for his hand, as a good wife would, remembered the body buried in the yard, said “Forget this,” stood, and started the boat’s engine, sure that he’d find a way to climb over any second and punish her for not helping him aboard quickly enough.

His anger glowed red on his balding head; but she breathed deeply, sat, told her shaking legs to quiet, and hit the throttle, leaving him to the sea life he’d been living for for the past 17 years, and drove away.

“Well, f*ck me, the stupid bitch finally grew a backbone,” he thought, and, as the wake from their boat grew further, he felt admiration and pride for his wife as his arms grew weaker, weaker, weaker…

The Final Diving Trip, a Six Sentence Story

This is a Six Sentence Story post for the fabulous Ivy of the Uncharted blog. This week’s word is “well.” (and yes, I used it, see the last sentence of the drowning guy)

Once, she saved me a billion dollars in cab fare after a writing retreat in Mass. Truth. She also likes it when you call her Weeniebutt. Or, maybe, she only likes it when I call her that. You’ll have to ask.


  • Emily - I love your stories, whether they are six sentences or longer!June 26, 2017 – 9:55 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Thank you! My husband didn’t like this one that much but I guess I get that 🙂June 26, 2017 – 11:07 pmReplyCancel

  • Josie Two Shoes - Wow, this one took my breath away… and his… and I was cheering for her the whole time! I once was married to a man who used to tell me that I didn’t have the balls to leave him. He discovered that no balls were required, just enough money saved up for an apartment and enough courage to start a new life for me and the kids, and thank God I did! Twenty five years later and he still hasn’t managed to maintain a successful relationship with anyone, some people never do change or grow.June 27, 2017 – 1:51 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Thanks, Josie! I’m so glad that you were able to get out of your marriage and find Papa Bear and a whole new world for yourself that’s better and more fabulous!June 27, 2017 – 8:43 pmReplyCancel

  • Pat B - Wow! Powerful! It is so sad when women and sometimes men are treated so brutally and feel so powerless, until that moment they don’t. Then the crimes of one instigates the crime committed by the victim. Even with many places now which provide a place of refuge for those who are being abused, it is usually very difficult for those being abused to safely get away to these safe havens.June 27, 2017 – 5:02 pmReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - So true, Pat, about feeling powerless, until they don’t. I used to volunteer in an abused women and children’s home and there are so many reasons people stay. They can’t afford to not stay. They know the abuse will worsen toward the kids. It’s awful.June 28, 2017 – 9:20 pmReplyCancel

  • Kenya G. Johnson - Love it Kristi! Excellent! I’m going to click over to Ivy’s blog because I like to write like this. I’d be good for me when I run out of real life writing.

    P.S. Love the * 😉June 28, 2017 – 8:25 amReplyCancel

    • Kristi Campbell - Ivy is awesome and you’ll love her. I like this, too. I didn’t want to write but six sentences? I can do that.June 28, 2017 – 9:21 pmReplyCancel

  • Echo - Well, isn’t that special?!

    Hahaha, I love this and I love how you can have fun with your writing!June 30, 2017 – 11:05 amReplyCancel

  • Linda Atwell - hehehhehehe!July 17, 2017 – 6:40 pmReplyCancel

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