Progression – 

When she first started working at the facility, she knew that she would be the only female in a team of men. And at first it seemed rather luxurious to have a restroom all to herself. Some days it was comforting, when the pipes heated up to create a sauna-like atmosphere and it seemed to be her private oasis. But because the bathroom had multiple stalls, and she knew that there were other women who worked in a different area of the building, who just might happen to use that bathroom at any time, she never felt comfortable lingering too long, adjusting her hair or makeup.

But as the months ticked by, she never encountered another person in that room. Of course, there had to be someone that came in to clean it. They must come in at night, she speculated. She fell into the routine of using the same stall. Was there less toilet paper than when she used it yesterday? And what did the other stalls look like? She had to check them out……gingerly…..afraid of being discovered, and of her embarrassment if someone saw her. But that was silly, she knew. No one ever came in but her.

But why did that door swing that way after she left the stall that day? It was as if there was a force behind it. And what was that noise? Someone on the floor above? Peek around the corner. Was there someone hiding in the handicapped stall? Standing on the seat? 

After that day her mind started wondering what happened in rooms such as these that were hardly or never used. Did ghosts come here so that they could wander freely without being disturbed by humankind? Did abandoned shopping malls harbor hosts of spirits that could find a peaceful refuge in the mundane urbanity that they had once frequented? Would they find peace in a place such as a lowly bathroom, where in life they found refuge from work and relieved their bodily discomfort? 

She left her phone on the counter, leaving her inbox open. She thought maybe they might want to see who she was, what her life was like…….maybe they could send her a text……….she heard the door open as she closed the stall………

Julia Devine

August 31, 2020