The coffee tasted like burnt rubber. Ethan grimaced, pushing the mug away. The meeting he'd just come from had been a complete waste of time. He was already behind on his deadline, and now he had to wade through someone else's vacation photos.
"Did you guys see the new office decorations?" Chloe asked, her voice like a cheerful bird chirp. Ethan braced himself.
He hated the office decorations, the way they tried to force a feeling of community and togetherness he didn't share. He wanted to scream. "Yeah," he muttered. "They're…fine."
"They're going to remind me of camp!" Chloe continued, oblivious.
He was just about to lose it. He gripped his pen tightly, the plastic creaking under his pressure.
She launched into a story about a summer camp, a place called "Whispering Pines." He vaguely registered that it sounded eerily familiar. The way she was describing it, the ridiculous traditions, the endless activities.
"Oh my gosh," Chloe said, turning to him suddenly. "Ethan, did you ever go to Whispering Pines?"
Ethan stopped, his jaw clenching. He had. "Yeah, I did," he admitted, trying to keep his voice neutral.
Chloe's face lit up. "No way! I was there too! What cabin were you in? Did you ever see the legendary counselor, Mr. Henderson, with the crazy hat?"
He felt the tension knot in his chest. "I really need to get back to work," he said, abruptly standing up and heading for the door. "Good talking to you."
He didn’t wait for a response, escaping to the hallway. He felt the need to get some air.