Her Revenge
Sarah wiped the dirt from her hands and smiled mischievously. A foul odor hung in the air. She felt a sense of satisfaction as she gazed at the garden in front of her. Her neighbor had taken advantage of her, but now she was getting her revenge. She couldn’t let him get away with it this time. All she had to do was wait.
Her Revenge
He refused to quit.
Sarah Jacobs had reached her breaking point. For weeks, she had watched helplessly as one of her neighbors ruined her yard. She regularly observed him: he would jump over the fence, enter her flowerbed, and then go out onto the street. He was using her yard as a shortcut. She had urged him to stop several times, but he wouldn’t listen. She was tired of pretending to be a good girl.
He refused to quit.
Keep a close watch
She stood in front of the glass, never taking her eyes off the garden for even a second. For the past few weeks, she had been meticulously monitoring the man’s movements. If everything went according to plan, he could jump over the fence at any moment. She waited.
I couldn’t cut it.
He had meticulously planned everything. Today was the day he would finally get the better of him.
Watching intently
She couldn’t wait any longer.
She took a deep sip from her steaming coffee cup. She couldn’t wait any longer. This man had been carelessly ravaging her garden, but now he was about to learn a harsh lesson. She raised an eyebrow, sensing a noise on the other side of the fence. She watched as the man threw his bag into her garden, just like every other morning. But this time, it went straight into her trap.
She couldn’t wait any longer.
To her garden
She grinned as she watched the man climb over the fence. And, as usual, he slipped into her flowerbed. Normally, he would have been welcomed into a soft, lush patch of flowers, but this time he tumbled onto an unpleasant surface. From where she was standing, she could see his astonished expression. And she heard it.
To her garden
According to plan
The man’s scream echoed through the small garden and into her house. The old woman grinned, placed her cup on the adjacent counter, and walked towards the door. He had been getting away with this trick for far too long. She was about to look him in the face and laugh at him. He had fallen straight into her trap.
It’s going according to plan.
A quiet life
Sarah Jacobs, a former Marine, was living the best life in Phoenix, Arizona. She had recently retired and was enjoying a quiet life in the suburbs. Although she hadn’t been there long, her neighbors made her feel right at home. However, one neighbor was getting on her nerves. His name was Nicholas, and he completely disregarded her boundaries.
“A Quiet Life”
neighbor
Nicholas’s house was right behind Sarah’s, and there was one thing they disagreed on. Every morning, Nicholas had to take the bus to town. To get to the bus stop, he had to walk around the block. However, he found a shortcut through Sarah’s garden. This reduced his travel time by about 10 minutes.
“neighbor”
Her flower garden
However, there was one major problem. When he jumped over the fence into Sarah’s garden, he landed in one of her flowerbeds. As a result, all the flowers she had grown were ruined. She told him about it, but he didn’t seem to care.
Her flower garden
Monday morning
It was Monday morning. Sarah had just woken up and was about to make coffee. On her way to the sink, she glanced out the window at the garden.
She had just witnessed Nicholas committing the crime. He threw his belongings over the fence and then jumped over it.
Monday morning
boundary line
Sarah narrowed her eyes. She had spoken to him about it the day before, but he had ignored her. He didn’t care at all to respect her boundaries. She kept one hand on her hip as the man walked through her garden as if nothing had happened. She was furious because the bush of flowers he had rushed into had been trampled. He had absolutely no idea who he was confronting.
boundary line
Practical approach
Sarah, a former Marine, was used to solving problems in a more practical way. This wasn’t the first time she’d asked the man to stop, but he wouldn’t listen. She was determined to get her revenge, even if it meant dying. She stood still in front of the window, plotting her next move. It took a little time, but she knew exactly what she had to do.
Practical approach
Her plan
That afternoon, while Nicholas was out at work, Sarah began to put her plan into action. If he didn’t voluntarily comply with her demands, she intended to punish him. A little after noon, the old woman got into her car and headed to the nearest garden center. She was formulating the perfect strategy to deal with that troublesome neighbor.
Her plan
Inside the store
In less than ten minutes, Sarah found exactly what she was looking for. She asked two male store clerks to help her carry the groceries to her car, and then headed home. She needed to act quickly; she didn’t want Nicholas to become suspicious. But she couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he fell into her trap. As she walked home, she couldn’t stop grinning.
shop
Start work
As soon as she returned from the supermarket, she went out into the garden. She put on her rubber boots and thick gloves before entering the yard. She was dragging two heavy bags. She cut open the bags and began working, spreading the thick compost over the soil and plants. The smell was intense, but she was sure it would be worth it.
Start working
Both bags
彼女は、隣人が長い間荒らしていた小さな花壇に、両方の袋の中身をすべて空けることにした。このちょっとした仕掛けで、彼が自分の花を荒らすのをやめてくれるかどうか、彼女は思った。土が厚い堆肥の層で覆われた後、その年配の女性はホースを手に取った。
両方の袋
泥だらけ
彼女はその後30分間、堆肥に水をやり続けた。すべてがびしょびしょに濡れて、泥だらけになるようにしたかったのだ。彼女はあの男のその日の一日を台無しにするつもりだった。臭いは不快だったが、それこそが狙いだった。
泥だらけ
一人じゃない
サラがこの厄介な作業を終えた時、彼女は堆肥の袋を開けた時から誰かに見られていたことに全く気づいていなかった。控えめに言っても、それは不審な行為だった。しかし、その人物は彼女を告発しようとはしなかった。その人物の企みは、それよりもはるかに悪質だったのだ。 そのベテラン兵士は、こんな展開を予想だにしなかっただろう。
Not Alone
妙な感覚
サラにとって幸いなことに、軍務で研ぎ澄まされた彼女の感覚は、完全に鈍っていたわけではなかった。彼女は何かを感じ取った。まるで第六感のようなものだった。何かがおかしいと気づいていたのだ。彼女はくるりと振り返り、庭を見渡した。風が強まり、その悪臭を家から遠ざけていた。彼女はそれが幸いだと思ったが、それは間違いだった。
妙な感覚
問題だ
サラは、自分が引き起こしたトラブルに気づいていなかった。 彼女が望んでいたのは、隣人への復讐を果たすことだけだった。だが、その前に、予期せぬ事態に対処しなければならなかった。庭を見回しながら、彼女は不安を感じていた。特に目立ったものはなかったが、油断は禁物だと分かっていた。
問題
彼女を監視する
二つのつぶらな目が、サラから安全な距離を保っていた。その眼差しは冷酷で、計算高かった。多くの人々は、サラを監視するその生き物の知性を過小評価していた。いざという時、サラもそれを過小評価してしまうのだろうか？ まるで異星人のようなその生き物が、たった一つの理由のためにサラの土地にやって来たのだ。それはすべて、彼女が報復を望んでいたからだった。
彼女を監視する
匂いに惹かれて
その生き物は、サラが隣人のために外に出しておいた堆肥の匂いに引き寄せられた。それがどれほど裏目に出るのか、サラには見当もつかなかった。その化け物はサラをじっと見つめ、彼女が背を向けるのを待ち構えていた。まさにチキンレースだった。しかし、ベテランのサラは、攻撃がどこから来るのか見当もつかないとはいえ、自らを危険にさらすつもりはなかった。
匂いに惹かれて
焦り始める
サラを観察していたその生物は、次の食事に焦りを感じ始めた。枝から枝へと革のような体を滑らせながら、さらに近づこうとした。その生物が気にかけていたのは、栄養源を見つけることだけだった。サラはたまたま、その生物にとって理想的な餌の候補だった。彼女に近づくにつれ、その生物の呼吸は速まった。そして、唇を舐めた。
焦り始める
飛びかかる準備完了
その動物は体を安定させ、絶好の飛びかかりの姿勢をとった。この捕食者はこれまで何百回もこれを繰り返してきたが、このような獲物に出会ったことは一度もなかった。ベテランの感覚が鋭く反応し、差し迫った危険に気づいた。まだその正体は分からない。果たして彼女は身を守れるだろうか？
飛びかかる準備
A 目の端に映ったもの
サラは全身の筋肉を固く締め、猛攻に備えた。しかしその時、目の
端
で
何かが
動くのに気づいた。脅威がどこから来るのかが分かった以上、身を守ることができる。茶色の毛並みが庭を駆け抜け、堆肥置き場へとまっすぐ向かっていった。 彼女は本能とアドレナリンに駆られて反応した。
目の端に映ったもの
よく見てみる
サラはその物体に突進した。何かをする前に、もっと間近で確かめたかったのだ。彼女の体は、かつての訓練で身についた筋肉の記憶に従って動いた。彼女は生き物の首を切り落とし、その目をじっと見つめた。その時、ようやくそれが何なのかを確かめられるほど近づいた。だが、それは彼女が想像していたものとは全く違っていた。
よく見てみると…
げっ歯類
サラはその動物と堆肥の山の間に入り込むと、動物は動きを止めた。彼女はそれをじっと見下ろしたが、それが何なのかを認識した途端、深く息を吐いた。それは彼女が予想していたような脅威ではなかった。おそらく彼女の感覚は完全に狂っていたのだろう。目の前に立っているドブネズミが、本能が警告していたものとはあり得ない。 しかし、状況を理解しようと苦闘している最中、左側から物音が聞こえた。
ネズミだ
真の脅威だ
左側から物音が聞こえると、サラは即座に警戒態勢に戻った。 かすかな音だったが、軍での経験から何に警戒すべきか彼女は理解していた。それは、何かが葉っぱの間を動き回る音だった。しかし、踏みしめる音ではなかった。まるで何かが葉っぱの上を引きずられているような感覚だった。彼女は真の 脅威に立ち向かう覚悟を決め、顔には恐怖が浮かんでいた。
真の脅威
それが何だったのかを知る
その退役軍人は、かつての派兵先の記憶へと引き戻された。彼女は、地雷やその他の即席爆発装置（IED）を探して砂漠を忍び足で歩き回っていたことを思い出した。しかし、パトロール中に別の何かを発見したのだ。それは長く、鱗に覆われ、致命的なものだった。それが、何年も後の出来事に備えることになるなど、彼女には想像もつかなかった。
それが何だったのかを知る
我に返る
サラは現在に戻り、その脅威に対処する方法をすぐに悟った。彼女は以前、その牙を持つ生物と遭遇したことを思い出した。静かなヒス音を聞いた時、彼女は間一髪で身構えた。その一秒後、それは起きた。 サラは近くの茂みから現れた蛇に襲われた。彼女は最悪の事態に備えた。
即座の反撃
こっそりと逃げる蛇
サラは身を守る準備をしていたが、その蛇が自分を狙っているわけではないことに気づいた。蛇はネズミを狙っていたのだ。 ネズミはフェンスの穴から間一髪で逃げ切った。ヘビは敗北し、這うようにして去っていった。サラにはヘビがどこへ行ったのか見当もつかなかったし、それを確かめるためにその場に留まるつもりもなかった。しかし、そのことが後に彼女の仕返し計画を複雑にすることになった。サラが庭で使った堆肥の匂いに気づいたのは、彼女だけではなかったのだ。
こっそりと逃げる
そんなタイプじゃない
サラはこれまで、周囲の人に悪戯をするようなタイプではなかったが、あの不快な男にはそれだけの報いを受けるに値すると感じた。彼は彼女の花壇を荒らしまくっていたのだ。サラは、その男の怠惰のせいで幸せを失いつつあった。 彼女は、彼に自分の言うことを聞かせるためなら、どんなことでもやっていた。だが、彼女の狡猾な悪戯はうまくいくだろうか？
そんなタイプじゃない
強烈な臭い
Sarah brushed the dirt from her hands and smiled mischievously. A foul odor hung in the air. She gazed at the garden in front of her and felt a sense of satisfaction. Her neighbors had taken advantage of her, but now she had gotten her revenge. She would never let them have their way again. All she had to do was wait.
Intense smell
Cleaning up
When she finished, she threw the empty plastic bag in the trash and went inside to get ready. The stench permeated the house, but she didn’t seem to mind. She closed the back windows almost completely and took a long shower to wash away the dirt and anxiety. She couldn’t wait for morning. Nicholas was going to get his comeuppance.
tidying up
sense of expectation
She tossed and turned in bed all night, unable to sleep because she was so excited for morning to come. But soon, the bedroom was filled with light. Checking the time, she immediately got up. He jumps over the fence at exactly 7:30 every morning. She only had a few minutes to get ready. She rushed to the kitchen and brewed a cup of coffee.
Expectations
Watch over
She stood by the window beside the sink, never taking her eyes off the garden. For the past few weeks, she had been meticulously checking Nicholas’s schedule, keeping a close eye on when he would arrive. If
everything went according to plan, he could jump over the fence at any moment. She couldn’t wait. She had meticulously planned everything. Today was the day she would finally get back at him.
stare
movement
She slowly brought a sip of her steaming coffee to her lips. She couldn’t wait any longer. This man had been carelessly ruining her garden, but now she was going to teach him a lesson. She raised an eyebrow, sensing a noise on the other side of the fence. She had watched Nicholas throw his suitcase into her garden every morning, but this time, it had fallen straight into her trap.
movement
It was ruined.
She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a giggle. The suitcase and its contents were buried deep in the compost pile. Everything was ruined. Watching the scene unfold before her eyes, Sarah exclaimed excitedly, “We did it!” Everything was going according to plan.
It’s ruined.
A sly smile
She grinned as she watched him climb the fence. Then, as usual, he leaped into the flowerbed. Normally, he would have been welcomed into a soft, lush patch of flowers, but this time he landed on an unpleasant surface. From where she was standing, she could see his astonished expression. And then she heard it.
grin
Go outside
His scream echoed through the small garden and reached her house. The old woman grinned, placed her cup on the counter beside her, and walked towards the door. He had been fooled by this trick for far too long. Now she was about to look at his face and laugh. He had fallen straight into her trap.
Go outside
Another reason for his scream
Sarah tried to go outside, but then she realized he had screamed for a different reason. She saw it go back into the bushes. It was the same snake. The snake, too, seemed startled by the man and scurried away at top speed. There could not have been a better plan. Not only was he covered in compost, but he had also had the most terrifying experience of his life.
Another reason for his scream
He was there.
As she stepped outside, she found Nicholas in a thick, muddy pile of compost. His clothes, face, and hair were all covered in it. “No! What is this?” he cried. He tried to stand up but slipped and tumbled back into it. She leaned against a nearby wall, and when he looked up, he saw her grinning. He was furious.
He was there.
furious
“How are you doing, Nick? Looks like you’re in a bit of a predicament,” she sneered. The man’s expression was priceless. Unable to contain his anger, he stood up and gathered his belongings from the compost pile. Speechless with rage, he darted back into his yard. “Hey, Nick,” she said, before he could answer.
rage
To be continued
He looked over her shoulder and at the elderly woman. “If you use my yard as a shortcut again, I’ll make you suffer far worse than a little compost, got it?” He nodded and climbed over the fence and went back. Sarah’s smile lasted for several days. She was completely satisfied with what she had accomplished.
次へ time…
It worked out well.
Fortunately, her little prank worked. Nicholas never tried to use her garden as a shortcut again. Instead, he started taking a 10-minute walk around the neighborhood. It was exactly what she had hoped for. Thanks to the compost, the flowerbeds quickly recovered. Finally, her small worry was solved.
It worked out well.