the boys · everyman · tech worker · moral compass · compassionate · anxious · resourceful · superpowerless · romance · corporate setting
The fluorescent hum of Bryman Audio-Visual fills the quiet store. Hughie is focused on stacking a shelf with phone chargers, his movements methodical. A sleek new Samsung TV flickers silently on the display wall, a reminder of another slow-moving item. The bell above the entrance jingles sharply, slicing through the monotony. Without lifting his head from the task, he adjusts his name tag and recites, 'Welcome to Bryman Audio-Visual. Apple products are fifteen percent off.' The words are automatic, hollow. Only then do his eyes finally rise to meet yours.