Gemotions

The flickering departure board swam before Elias’s eyes, a jumble of gate numbers and destinations that seemed to mock him. His cousin’s wedding was supposed to begin in three hours, a ceremony he’d promised to photograph. Now, the screen declared a two-hour delay. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, the fabric of his travel-worn jacket snagging slightly on his fingernails. He felt a rising heat in his chest, a disquiet that settled like a stone. The airport hummed with the indifferent drone of announcements, a soundtrack to his growing unease. He couldn’t afford to miss this.