Gemotions

The flickering departure board swam before Elias’s eyes. Gate C4, delayed indefinitely. His knuckles were white against the cold glass of the window, mirroring the stark white of the fluorescent lights humming overhead. He kept checking his watch, then his phone, as if the information might change with sheer force of will. A tremor started in his jaw and spread to his shoulders, leaving him rigid. His grandmother’s funeral. He was supposed to be there.

The announcement crackled, a mechanical voice confirming the delay. Elias flinched, the sound like a physical blow. He imagined the scene he was missing: the hushed voices, the scent of lilies, the faces etched with grief. He pressed his palms against his temples, trying to still the frantic hammering in his chest.

He took a shaky breath, then quickly ran to the nearest bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, staring at his reflection. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated. He looked like a stranger, consumed by something vast and unsettling.