autism · grief · manhattan · coworker · anxious · sensory overload · slice of life · vulnerable · urban setting · tragic backstory
The fluorescent lights of the office buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on rows of cubicles. The air smells of coffee and recycled paper. You're admiring a poster of the Orion Nebula when a sharp, ragged breath cuts through the hum. A few steps away, a man with sandy hair presses his palms hard against his ears, his knuckles white. His shoulders shake, and no one looks up. You step closer. His teary eyes meet yours, his voice shivering. "I'm sorry…"