Positive

Once a month, I meet up with my fellow writing friends and critique partners for a writing circle. It's a time where we come together to share what we have been working on, such as: writing pieces, marketing, drafting, promoting...you name it. We also have some fun doing writing prompts and sharing short pieces. This was our last week's writing prompt/flash fiction...

Prompt: Write a very short story that takes place entirely in a public restroom.


Positive (by Rebecca Green Gasper)

She leaned up against the cold tile wall of the women's restroom and sank to the floor, past caring about all the germs and grim that may have been there. The muffled sound of the loud speakers announced the next bus departure behind the closed wooden door. She dropped the stick between her legs and buried her head in her hands, letting the tears flow freely.

Her life was over, her dreams gone. How could she do this on her own?

She grabbed the white stick that contained the news of her future and gave it one last look, hoping the results would change. But they never did. Positive. It read positive all five times.

She tossed the stick across the room. It bounced off the wall with a clang and landed on the floor below the sinks. The door opened and a women walked into the tiny room, stepping over her but not acknowledging her.

She watched the women disappear into one of the two stales, then she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. The room smelled stale, of sweat and chemicals. It made her gag. She swallowed back the bile that lumped in her throat. The crackling of the loud speakers finally announced the departure of her bus.  She opened her eyes and looked up at the ceiling.

After a moment's thought, she dragged herself up off the dirty floor. Touching her stomach, she stared at the door. "It's now or never," she said aloud as she grabbed the cold metal handle and pulled the door open.


-If you would like to join in on the writing prompt...please post a link to your website in the comments box. I would love to see what kind of story you create in a public bathroom.