Shower Thoughts

by Gray Marie Cox

I force myself to breathe. This is just a shower.

It shouldn’t be this hard.

A short story about a person struggling with depression and being forced to face that they're not okay (and of course this all takes place in a shower because people always have the deepest thoughts in there for some reason).

555 words

Genres: Short Stories, Contemporary, Mental Health

3 pages, ebook

About the author

Hi, this account is now inactive because I no longer agree with my old reviews. xx

Follow my new account here: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1...

Reviews

[Libby May · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's as painful as a sword pierced into you and then twisted.
It hurts that this kind of pain can be collected into one short story.
It's straight to the heart.
And it gives you an idea of what people go through, even though you may not know all the time.

Pain is real
Depression
Anger
It's all real.
People suffer.

Pray harder for those around you.

[mary liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is so powerful, and it hurts to read. Because this is something real happening to real people. People who may look okay on the outside but inside are hurting and broken.

Gray's writing is SO IMMERSIVE. It's unique and beautiful and raw. I have no complaints whatsoever. Her writing is just so solid.

This lady and her writing can change the world. <3

(Rated 3 stars not because there were things I disliked; just personal preference!)

3.5 stars

[Gray Cox]

Idk, I'd say it's pretty good but I'm biased because I wrote it.
The story is short so there is little character or plot development, it feels a lot like flash fiction.
I'm not going to rate this, but yeah, just a few things I wanted to throw out there. :)

The only trigger warning I can think of is that they accidentally cut themselves with a razor and disregard it.

[Mikayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never had depression, but I have been very close to people with it before. This story summed up the feeling in a raw, deep way. Maybe it was a sad story. Maybe it was painful to read. But the most painful things reveal truth, and this story did that.
While I like stories with more hope in them (Even if it's not happy), this ending was very realistic.

Gray Marie is a girl to watch. Her writing is going somewhere.

[Katrina Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Raw and real and amazingly written. Very good. <3

[. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest.

This described me perfectly. At least, from when I was deep in depression a few months ago. No, I never actually did self-harm, but I suppose I was harming myself mentally.

Because when someone is in severe depression, hope doesn't really exist. You're in this black hole, and in my experience, you believe that no one cares. I even started hiding it (especially from those outside of my home such as youth group), which was something that did not help me a bit. It just made it worse.

I really don't have much to say other than that this really impacted me and reminded me how I was in the past. No, I have not fully escaped from the claws of depression. It comes back so often, telling me so many awful things... but I'm not going to let Satan's lies work on me any longer because God is on my side and helping me through it.

Yes, it is very dark. Yes, it would be harder to read for bookworms who are more into happy reads or those who have lead mostly carefree lives. But seriously? This is a worthwhile read and can maybe help those who have never experienced depression understand it, and maybe they can help those who are trapped in it. Because it would've been helpful for me if someone actually took me (and my situations) more seriously than they did, and didn't make me feel I had to put on a fake smile/happy act.

Content Warning: the character cuts herself with a razor, but it's not overly descriptive.

[Addy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short story was bittersweet. A girl who is suffering from depression and she feels like a monster. She can’t look into the mirror because she knows what she’ll see: a shell of a person who once was someone else.

I found that the razor part was intense, though not overly gory, and it really brought out the fact that depression isn’t something to brush of as unimportant.

I kinda wish for there to be a really happy ending! Where she isn’t sad anymore or realizes that she’s not alone?

Gray, great job on this!! Looking forward to reading more short stories. 🙂

[Angela R. Watts]

Fantastic short story!

[Aeroniel]

So short and yet beautiful in a unique way! Well done, Gray. I couldn't write something so deep in that little bit.

Blood-shot eyes? Darn shampoo.
Soooo been there :) #relatable

[R.A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a deep story, even if it was quite short! I felt bad for the girl as she suffered with depression and thinks there's nothing to help her.

Content: The main character cuts herself with a razor, but it's not overly intense or detailed.

The story did leave my heart aching, which leaves me begging for a happy ending! Apart from that, it's very well-written!

Recommended for +15 year olds.

[Sunshine Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just wow. No words can describe how good it was.

[♠ TABI⁷ ♠ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best thing about taking a shower is that there’s no proof of crying.
Red puffy face? Hot water.
I’m trembling? Must be dehydrated.
Blood-shot eyes? Darn shampoo.



You can read the free story HERE

This was super short, but super powerful. Like, the kind of power that makes me feel that I could spend a semester learning all the nuances and hidden depths behind this. And yet at the same time it's very simple??

I dunno, dude.

All I do know was that this was absolutely amazing and really opens a window into the tangled details of depression. One might wonder how such a mundane task as showering be depressing, right?? Ah, no. This story shows how pervasive and intricate mental illness/struggles truly are, and for that it deserves the highest ratings possible.



Also, consider me 100% invested in whatever this author may write in the future!

[Faith M:) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

This short story was beautifully written!!! I wish that there had been a happy ending- but that’s just my opinion:)

Depression is such a heartbreaking thing. We never need to feel alone if we have Christ as our Savior!!! He is always with us and loves all of us soooo much!!!

Isaiah 41:10
“Do not fear for I am with you;
Be not dismayed for I am your God;
I will strengthen you;
I will help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

[حسناء · Rating 4 out of 5]

But that day is not today ...

[Sarah Rodecker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another story where my heart was viciously ripped out and thrown away. It's a very short story, but powerful. Definitely an accurate picture of what life is like with depression.

I think the saddest part, though, is the fact that, deep down inside, this isn't just a fictional story. It's altogether too real for far too many people. The pain is very real, but it often goes ignored by the outside world. And I think that's what kills me inside. The fact that people curl up in their rooms and read this as just another story, oblivious to the epidemic eating away at the person silently screaming out for help in the room next door.

[❄Elsa Frost❄ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daaaang. This was actually pretty good.

[Andrea Ulibarrena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short story, it's beautifully written and I loved the emotion in it... I can't wait to read more stories by Gray Marie! :)

[allison riera :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

rating: 4.5 stars
very powerful and raw. struck me right in the heart. <3 <3

[kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is so good. Powerful and heartbreaking...makes me want to cry.

[Surabhi Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd been wanting to read this for so long, and now I finally got to!

Clean tangled hair is a step up from dirty tangled hair, isn’t it?

I loved this story a lot :D It's soo relatable, and sad and kinda funny at the same time. I LOVE her writing style cuz it's so comforting for some reason. Also, she's such an inspiration for aspiring authors like me. Great job, Grace! <33

I do hope the author will pick up writing novels again, someday. I'll def read them!