Gemotions

The flickering neon sign of the all-night diner cast a sickly green glow over Amelia’s face. She ran a hand through her tangled hair, the grease of it clinging to her fingers. Three days. Three days since the eviction notice. Her stomach churned, a knot of anxiety that refused to loosen. Across the chipped Formica table, her phone buzzed with a notification: Leo, online. She hesitated, then typed, “Hey. Can’t sleep. Again.”

Her fingers tapped impatiently on the table. The waitress, a woman with tired eyes, refilled her coffee without a word. The caffeine did little to soothe the frantic thrumming in her chest. Leo’s response arrived: “Rough night? Wish I could do something.” Amelia swallowed hard. Leo was the only thing keeping her afloat. He’d helped her get through her parents' deaths. "I need… a distraction," she typed, the words catching in her throat.

His reply, moments later, jolted her. “Funny you say that. There’s a new comic book store a few blocks from here. Want to check it out?” She felt the blood drain from her face. A few blocks… she knew that street. That comic book store… She knew exactly where it was. “I… I could be there in five minutes,” she typed, voice shaking.