Character: Robin — a renamed character from college writing exercises
Inspiration: Edits of “music playing in the other room and it’s raining” & how the world sounds when you’re at the bottom of a pool
Challenges while writing: present tense, a short moment in time, and how sound impacts a scene/setting
The music from Robin's older brother’s room rumbles the walls, making the bathroom mirror quiver. It rattles on its hinge connecting to the medicine cabinet behind it. Looking at it gives Robin a headache, so they focus on the sounds of the pouring tub faucet.
The white walls are toned by the red-clay sunset outside. Everything feels warmer.
The water gives off subtle steam, like a lake on a warm summer afternoon. They tug off their clothes and let them fall haphazardly in a pile on the tiles.
A crackle bursts into the existing noise. They wince at the sound, realizing that their lighter hit the floor.
They grab the faded denim and pull out the highlighter-orange plastic. No cracks.
Flick. Flick. The small gear rubs against the rough skin of their thumb. They don't have enough of a damn to get another one right now. Flick-whoom. The lighter fluid sparks to life but Robin quickly snuffs it out. They grab the stolen cigarette box perching next to the sink before they open the small bathroom window.
The lingering steam sways effortlessly into the fresh air and escapes. Robin clenches their jaw in fleeting jealousy. They want to grow wings and fly away. The house is a cage. They’d thrown themselves against the bars only to fall with it to the ground. The metal is warped now, but could they take another fall?
The old knob creaks as the water cuts off. The water continues to quake from the music in the other room. A thin layer of bubbles linger on the surface. They disperse when Robin steps into the tub, huddling in small groups away from the intruder.
As they settle into the water, they feel their body relax instantly. Their shoulders slouch and their head leans back. They tuck a cigarette between the fingers they press to their temple. The reverberating music fades from their mind for a moment but quickly returns.
Flick-whoom. The flame flickers like the rippling water beneath them. They bring it closer to their face before they push the cigarette into the heat. It quickly catches on the paper before it’s put out once more. A careless toss leaves the lighter to fall onto their pile of clothes.
They close their eyes, trying to focus on the warm smoke in their throat before they let it out. They imagine the smoke trails following the steam out of the window.
Their brother is yelling something. Maybe a girl is over, or maybe he’s on the phone, unable to argue against being a lousy person. Oh well, Robin doesn't care. At least the awful music mutes whatever is happening in there.
Robin wants to leave. They have a car, but they have nowhere to go. They hold a second draw of smoke in their mouth as they ponder the thought. So what if there’s no end goal?
A city two hours away would be better than this one. The principal and guidance counselor would leave them alone. Their mom is never home. Their brother is a college dropout who decided that he would do whatever he wants, even if it knocks the bathroom mirror from its hinges and makes Robin's ribs into jelly from the music that won’t stop for a fucking second.
They can't even enjoy the rest of their cigarette. They shove its end into the wall to snuff it out before they toss it out the window above them.
They slide below the water and the music dulls.
The water is warm and isn't scolding them for taking too long. They'll stay until they have a plan.
For a moment, they're nothing at all. Able to drift. Their hair carelessly weaves in the water and sounds fade. The music is palatable here.
They sigh with a closed mouth. Their hum thrums in the water and their ears. They ease up to breathe but leave their ears under the surface.
Everything sounds far away so they feel far away. They imagine themself driving out of the city and smile, assured in their longing for distance and change.
I hope you enjoyed this moody introduction. Robin has previous scenes that I’d love to rework and share!