“Whatcha doing, Sweetie?”
Paul was squatting on the patio gazing intently at the siding of their house with what appeared to be a vacant look in his eyes, as if mesmerized while staring at nothing in particular. He pointed to a bug on the wall.
Carrie followed Paul’s gaze and saw a large bug on the low on the wall. “That’s a praying mantis,” she told him.
“A praying mantis?” Paul exclaimed. “Is it poisonous? Does it bite or sting?”
“Oh no,” said Carrie. “In fact, in some parts of the world, it is considered good luck if one of these curious looking bugs lands on you.”
“Good luck? Why is it good luck to have a stick bug land on you?” Paul asked.
“I honestly don’t know why,” Carrie answered.
“Why is it called a praying mantis,” Paul asked.
Carrie sighed. “Maybe because of the way the it holds up the front of its body and positions its large front legs. It appears as though it’s praying, doesn’t it?”
Paul suddenly jumped up from his squatting position, kicked out his foot, and crushed the bug against the wall.
“So much for answered prayers,” he said, grinning wickedly.
(198 words)
This is a twofer. It is written for today’s one-word prompt, “particular,” as well as for this week’s Sunday Photo Fiction prompt.
This, That, and the Other 
euuuuuuuuuuuuuu, I like Paul right up to the end, then I wanted to slap the crap out of him!
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Yeah, he’s obviously a spoiled little brat.
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The only creature that scares the piss out of me!!!!!!!!!!
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So you don’t buy that it’s good luck to have one land on you?
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Not if i have a heart attack and die!
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Perhaps something similar waits for someone who would commit an act of destruction for no other reason than it gave him pleasure.
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Hopefully the kid will learn that as he gets older.
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Good work…:)
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Thanks Michael.
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I like it because i hated Paul with just a few words…
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I didn’t see it coming…and I wrote it!!!
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Perfect
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The female praying mantis often decapitates and then ingests the head of its male mate after copulation.
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Sweet! 😱
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I’m scared of bugs, but praying mantises eat other bugs. Big ugly bugs. They are worth preserving.
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I agree. They look so frail, who would want to kill one, although as someone said, they do eat their husbands.
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The male PM is not actually referred to as “husband”. The female calls him her “baby daddy” and then she eats his head!
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Doesn’t every female do that…figuratively speaking?
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Ewww, thst is definitely bad luck! What? Of course I’m not superstitious….
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So it’s God but squashing mantis instead of an anthill?
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That kid needs a talking to! Great story.
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Thanks.
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This is where the Praying Mantis Mechazoid comes round the corner and squishes Paul
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Would love to see that!
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