He took a sip. The warmth hit his tongue and traveled down his throat, and for the first time in months, he felt his shoulders drop. The tightness in his jaw, which had been there so long he’d forgotten it was a choice, began to dissolve.
Elias stayed for an hour. When he finally stepped back out onto the street, the neon lights were still bright and the slush was still cold. But as a car splashed a puddle near his boots, he didn't flinch. He just watched the ripples move across the water until they, too, melted away into the dark. Melt Away
"It’s funny," Elias said, surprised by the steady sound of his own voice. "I feel like I'm disappearing." He took a sip
The clock on the wall didn't tick; it thrummed, a constant, vibrating reminder of the three deadlines Elias had missed. Outside his window, the city of Oakhaven was a frantic blur of gray slush and neon lights. He felt like a coiled spring, wound so tight that the slightest touch might snap him. Elias stayed for an hour
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