The Cog PrinceBy Elizabeth Mueller
Burning Rose
The sky grew dark and I put my shopping to a sudden rest. Down the boulevard, rolling steel doors closed, and I needed to use the restroom.
“No. Wait!” I shouted as I ran forward, but the clerk shook his head. I scanned further down and saw Gepetto’s Timepiece and Antique Shoppe’s neon sign still on. Relief flooded me until a strong feeling urged me forward. Biting my lip and gathering my energy, I sprinted faster before they could close. “Sorry, gotta use the girl’s room!” I called out as I ran in. “I won’t take long.”
Steadying my heaving breaths, I wove through the narrow aisles of the crowded little store and found the restrooms located behind the tasseled curtains. After washing my hands, I remade my ponytail and left the restroom.
