I don’t know how to explain the feeling of being led down a hallway you usually walk freely, only this time with a security guard at your elbow and every passing intern pretending not to stare but absolutely staring. It felt like a hallucination. A dream sequence where you’re walking into your own firing. The corridor felt longer than usual. I could hear the air conditioning and my heartbeat arguing over who deserved the most attention. I tried to say something casual like, “So… you guys always detain employees on Thursdays or am I just lucky?” but the guard didn’t smile. His name tag said KELVIN and I knew deep in my heart that Kelvin didn’t joke. Kelvin worked out before work. Kelvin ironed his socks. Kelvin took his job seriously, and right now his job was me.
They took me to this wind
