It’s been just over a year now, but I somewhat randomly decided to look at this week’s prompt for Friday Fictioneers, a weekly writing challenge in which people pen stories of roughly 100 words inspired by a weekly photo. At first, the picture didn’t inspire anything, but then suddenly, something emerged…
The Way Out
Escape was hidden through a window that did not open, behind a mirror she could not enter. She stared at it for a long time before giving in. Make-up in place, teeth brushed, clothes that revealed the right amount of…everything. It’d be over so quick that it was all hardly worth it. Then there’d be a kiss, and a smile that was like money on the bedside table, all she’d take with her into the rest of the next day.
Once more, she stared at the backwards window, wondering what was out there and how to find it.
Blue Towel Productions 
Really liked this. Very thought provoking.
To me this translates into the slavery/prostitution rings that lure young women away from home to big cities. Was that the intention, or am I reading between the lines again?
Thanks for that!
That did cross my mind, but I think with the fact that the smile is “like” money on the bedside table, I’d read it more as a woman having an affair that’s going nowhere with a married man; or possibly someone stuck in a series of one-night-stands. But the first sentence came before any of the other ideas, and I never really made a clear decision, though the metaphor is obviously there.
Benmc, I wondered too at the part about the smile. It seems she’s not doing it for the money, but perhaps because of a problem she needs professional help with. She seems to be going nowhere fast. Good, well-written story. —Susan
Thanks for your comments. I actually think there isn’t any money. The money is a metaphor for how the smile is given to her. But then maybe that’s too obliquely written in the story.
Dear benmc47, Love your story and she is collecting either tears or money – something for her effort. Too bad she is not very happy.
Nan 🙂