Heterochromia

The feeble gleam of the early morning barely permeated the filth-smeared windows as Daniel slid his key into the lock, his anger simmering beneath a veneer of calm.

The familiar tinkle of the door chime cut through the silence akin to a knife, its sound as if amplified in the deserted cityscape. Outside, urban life was still in slumber; shops remained bolted, and streets lay empty...

Daniel stepped into his place of work - a punk rock music store that was now an uncanny echo of its usual frenzied vibrancy. Ranks of vinyl records stood as though they were mute guards, their garish covers dulled under the pallid light. The lingering scent of stale tobacco and aged leather hung heavy in the air...

Daniel’s footsteps reverberated off the walls as he ventured deeper into the store. He moved past mannequins decked out in spiked collars and torn band tees, their expressionless surfaces seemingly tracking his every move. A cold shiver prickled his skin; he wasn’t here for business…

The cash register sat undisturbed, an enticing lure for someone else... Daniel was driven by other urges, ones that had been gnawing at him relentlessly... His steps resonated through the floor as he neared a wall graced with a poster showcasing Pink Floyd’s legendary album, “Dark Side of the Moon.” The hypnotic artwork seemed to pulsate as it depicted a beam transforming into an explosion of vibrant colors...

For a moment, Daniel stood transfixed by its enigmatic charm. It felt as if the music and lyrics were beckoning him, whispering clandestine truths that only he could unravel... Then, without hesitation, he delicately removed it from its perch and tucked it under his arm. He forgot to take it home on his last day, but it did belong to him after all.

Having snatched the poster, Daniel quietly neared the exit of the music store, with feeble daylight casting elongated shadows across the deserted streets. With each stride, the poster tucked securely beneath his arm felt like a palpable fragment of his impending future... The cool air brushed against his face as he walked, his mind teeming with thoughts of his past loves and the path that lay ahead...

This moment, this seemingly insignificant act of departing with the print, marked the definitive first step toward actualizing his plans - abandoning this horrible city and pursuing his last boyfriend in hopes of getting him back.

*

That very same day, Chase’s alarm clock blinked at 7:30 am. His late-night rendezvous with the unfinished research paper had nudged his morning routine off-track again! The paper was written, but it still needed a lot of refining. Nevertheless, Chase took on the challenge with his usual calm determination.

Chase’s phone pinged with a weather update—rain on the horizon. Good thing he chose to download that no-nonsense weather app! But then, another alert popped up, pulling him into the social media’s vortex. It was a post from Melissa, his ex. There she was, all smiles against a stunning backdrop of blue seas and palm trees. Chase just shook his head. They had drifted apart way before breaking up, but seeing her so much into traveling now? That was a curveball, considering she never took him up on his adventure invites. Maybe someone new was in the picture? Who knows. He shrugged off the thought and hustled to get ready for work. Whatever they had was history, and it was time to focus on the day ahead.

Rushing into the clinic lobby after checking by his favorite café, Chase barely managed to squeeze into an elevator held open by a coworker’s outstretched arm.

Panting slightly from the sprint, Chase ruefully acknowledged how much he let himself go physically during his relationship with Melissa... He still looked good and attractive, but he was in much worse shape and could feel it. His muscles were aching for good workouts, especially now that sex was off the table…

Then a familiar laugh floated towards him from within the elevator: “Gosh! When I said you should get back into sports, Chase, I didn’t mean sprinting to catch elevators!”

Chase looked down into the teasing grey eyes of Casey, his med school buddy and confidante, her blonde hair framing her glasses in a way that always seemed effortlessly stylish. They had shared countless memories together—from cramming for exams to standing by each other’s side during important life events. She was supposed to be the maid of honor at his wedding with Melissa, a plan that now lay discarded.

Casey definitely needed to get back in shape, being somewhat plump, but Chase didn’t want to point it out to her now, instead focusing on responding to what she said. “Watch me, Casey,” he retorted playfully, appreciating their easy banter. “By year-end, I’ll be back in my prime, just like when we used to hit the gym together in med school!”

But first, he had patients waiting... At approximately 7:55 am, Chase finally eased into his worn-in leather chair, glad that he wasn’t late despite failing to wake up at the right

His fingers ruffled through his tousled dark hair as he glanced at his early morning agenda from behind his glasses. A procession of unfamiliar faces and their ocular mysteries awaited him just as usual. He flipped open the dossiers of his patients, mentally girding himself for the ensuing march of hazy vision complaints and enigmatic eye discomforts.

As the waiting room came to life, Chase settled into his routine, greeting each patient with a warm smile and listening intently to their concerns before dimming the lights for a closer examination. He examined each pair of eyes with calm expertise, looking for any signs of trouble—a new prescription needed, eye drops, or more serious conditions like cataracts or glaucoma.

What Chase loved most was wrapping up each visit. He’d lean back, adopt his “doctor voice,” and share advice on eye care, hoping his words would stick and protect their vision. Being an ophthalmologist brought him immense satisfaction. Each corrected vision problem, whether through a simple prescription change or surgery, filled him with pride. The trust his patients placed in him and the visible improvement in their lives gave him a profound sense of purpose, helping him navigate his own challenges.