Remorseful Jellyfish

Being idle and disorderly at this time of year, I again found myself at the beach this week, swimming vast distances in the warm ocean. But my most recent swim was more memorable than most, not necessarily by me, but definitely by the large swarm of stinging jellyfish I encountered. At first I felt a few skinpricks of pain, and thought nothing of it, but as I swam further north, long tentacles were wrapping themselves around my arms and torso. I ploughed on, ripping those stinging legs from their owners, laughing a haughty ha ha to the marine pests who couldn't ruin my joyful mood. Out of the water and back on the beach, the pain grew till I felt I was on fire. Red welts enlarged and spread until I resembled a chickenpox victim. Despite my mild agony, I still argue that I won the battle - jellyfish families are now lamenting their missing legs, but I will live to swim another day.