Gemotions

The flickering fluorescent lights of the DMV buzzed in Elias’s ears, each cycle a tiny hammer blow against his skull. He tapped his foot incessantly, the cheap plastic chairs squeaking with every movement. He needed this license renewed, needed it yesterday, but the line snaked around the room like a hungry python. He clutched the crumpled forms in his sweaty hands, re-reading the tiny print as if it might magically change. He thought of the meeting he had to be at, the presentation he wasn’t ready for, the nagging feeling that he’d forgotten something crucial. He ran a hand through his already dishevelled hair.

Then, he heard a woman's voice. "Excuse me, are you… Elias?" He looked up to see a woman with vibrant red hair, her eyes wide. He squinted, trying to place her.

"Yes?" he replied, a knot forming in his stomach. He wasn’t in the mood for small talk.

"I'm… I'm Chloe. We were supposed to go to the gallery opening last week, with… Mark?" The woman's voice trailed off. Elias's stomach dropped. Mark. The guy who'd promised to help him with the presentation. The guy who'd suddenly gone silent.