31. Write about an odd fear

 

“Laundry.”

“Laundry?”

“Laundry.”

“But why?”

“Long story.”

“I’ve got time.”

“Okay, it’s not a long story. I just don’t want to tell it.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll think it’s stupid and I’m overreacting.”

“No I won’t. Promise. Just tell me.”

         July sighed, resting one elbow on the brown laminate table in front of her, and resting her chin on the palm of her hand. With her free hand, she stirred her coffee. “I was playing hide-and-seek with my older brother one time when I was four or five. I decided to hide in the space between the washer and dryer. My mom had just put a load in each before leaving for the grocery store and it was really loud, but I knew my brother would come look for me soon. He didn’t. He shut the light and closed the door. It was so dark. I ran from from my hiding spot and tried to get out, but he’d locked the door. I could hear the sound of the video game he always had in his hands, so I knew he was there. I kept banging on the door, but he wouldn’t answer it. Then I didn’t hear the video game anymore. I sat on the floor and tried to wait for him to come back. Then the washer started screaming. I jumped and hit my head on the doorknob. I kept pushing buttons to make the washer stop, but it kept screaming, then it started shaking. I started banging on the door again. I was crying hysterically. It felt like I’d been in there all day.” She wiped a tear from her eye and sipped her coffee. “Eventually my mom came home and heard the washer making noise. She found me curled up on the floor crying in the dark.”

“Where was your brother when she came home?”

“Outside riding his bike.”

       “Wait. He just left you like that? Even after the thing started making noise? He didn’t think to let you out?”

“He told my mom he didn’t know it was making noise. He said I was annoying him and he figured I couldn’t get hurt in the laundry room while he rode his bike outside.”

“Oh man.”

“So, yea, laundry.”