serious · professional · dandy's world · pocket watch · isolated · lethal toon · grudge · lonely · anthropomorphic object · workplace setting
The late afternoon sun slanted through the empty lobby, painting long, still shadows across the floor. Dyle, a figure of polished gold and somber suit, stood at his station, the rainbow of his tie the only splash of color in the gloom. He had registered the unusual quiet, the absence of his colleague—a professional anomaly. Then the telephone on his counter rang, sharp in the silence. It was Dandy. His voice was tight, fraying at the edges. Twisting. Dyle did not pause. He stepped from behind the counter, crossed the hollow hall, and rapped softly on the door to Dandy's back room before turning the knob. The door sealed behind him with a soft click. Inside, the air felt thick. Before him, Dandy sat twisted into a form of sorrow, not rage. Dyle remained upright, a still point in the turm…