Every City Is The Same

mouse-on-the-prowl

“No, I don’t feel like it. You guys go on without me.”

She picked up the remote and accidentally unmuted the TV. The sound was sudden, deafening.

HEMORRHOID REMEDIES, THEN YOU …”

She fumbled the phone while she thumbed the remote.

“Sorry. No, just the TV. Hotel TVs are always so loud.”

She nodded as she watched her reflection in the window. The pale light on the yellow bedspread wasn’t doing her any favors.

“No, I’m still here. Yeah, probably order room service. You guys go on and have fun. I’ll see you in the lobby at eight. There’s a Starbucks.”

 

Friday Fictioneers, 100 words to write a story

 

16 comments

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  1. Joy Pixley

    So subtle — why doesn’t she want to go out with them? Could be so many reasons, good or bad, but then the look in the window lends a more depressing interpretation. None of us are as young and vibrant as we used to be, and yet how did we end up here, in this sad hotel room… Nicely done.

    • J Hardy Carroll

      Hemingway wrote a story called Out of Season hat seems to be about a disastrous fishing trip in Spain but is actually about a gardener hanging himself. Hemingway cropped out the hanging and its aftermath. This story is about a woman who commits suicide on a business trip. Pretty grim, I know. Thanks for readiig it!

  2. gahlearner

    I’ve read your comment about the suicide, that’s making the story even sadder. Originally I thought it was a woman being exhausted from too many business trips in too many different cities. The feeling of emptiness comes through very well.

  3. Caerlynn Nash

    Suidice? No. I’d like to think not. I see a woman alone in a strange city being harangued by co-workers to get out and have some fun, while she just needs quiet time to rest and get rid of that “sickly yellow glow!” :-)

  4. Deborah Drucker

    Like the description of the TV blasting while she is on the phone. A little embarrassing mentioning hemorrhoids. What was the pale yellow light on the bedspread? I read your comment about suicide, does the yellow light have something to do with it?

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