Gemotions

The flickering departure board swam before Elias’s eyes, the red letters of “DELAYED” mocking him. He’d meticulously planned this trip to attend his grandmother’s 90th birthday celebration. Now, staring at the digital display, a cold dread snaked up his spine, tightening his chest. He felt as if he was watching his future, his happiness, slowly be erased. His fingers fumbled with his phone, desperately trying to find a flight attendant to plead with.

He ran a hand through his hair, the action a frustrated gesture born of sheer bewilderment. He'd woken early, prepped everything perfectly. The universe, it seemed, was deliberately conspiring against him. Each passing minute chipped away at his composure, replacing it with a growing sense of the absurd.

He mumbled to himself, the words lost in the vast expanse of the terminal. The faces around him seemed to blur. All of a sudden, everything felt surreal.