The Nose Runner

Figurative language will often fill our world with colorful ways of communicating something, but at the same time, it can be very misleading. If you don’t know it’s figurative language, and what it actually means in the context, you’re bound to be confused.

But you know what’s even worse?

When you’re meaning something literally.

“No, mom, my nose is running!!” I screamed into my phone, desperately gripping the spot where my nose used to be. It had just plopped off while I was talking to my mother, and now it’s running off on the tiniest of legs at a speed that shouldn’t be possible!! My mouth is fully conscious of the blood that’s dripping down from that spot, and the metallic taste that registers in my brain only makes this more real.... What a nightmare!!

I guess I really shouldn’t have answered the phone at the shrine.... This must be my punishment...! My nose had been runny all day because of my allergies, but this is far worse!! I’ll never complain about my allergies ever again...!!!

I’ve nearly tumbled down these numerous steps quite a few times already, and I still am not even halfway down!! Maybe I ought to just lunge for my nose and allow myself to roll down all these steps....

Distracted with my mind desperately grasping at straws in order to catch up with my nose, I wasn’t able to catch myself from tripping all.

The way.

Down.

I swear, my shrieking could be heard from hundreds of kilometers away.

But by some miracle, I was able to grab my nose despite tumbling down the countless steps like a hamster in its wheel. In all honesty, I think my nose froze in fear, but I must be going crazy.... I guess I have a story to tell my kids now though, when figurative language became all too literal!!