THE MOMENT
"They are," he made a shrugging gesture as if to broadly indicate the entire subway. "You've just never felt it," he smiled at the concerned snoop as they slowed into the station and he stood. “Try to concentrate, I hope you can find them," he added as he shuffled his way through the doors and onto the platform.
The woman seemed to want to follow him, but she remained behind when he suggested she could find 'them'. Fortunately, Gabriel wasn't traveling alone. He waddled through the subterranean crowd and found an empty bench to sit and catch his breath while his associate caught up. It was one thing to put on a brave front in order to confuse a busybody, but now that he was alone, he let himself collapse, and he began taking deep, heavy breaths; the walk was only a few feet, but it was a huge effort nonetheless.
"What the hell are you telling everyone?" A young woman with her red hair in a bun and wearing a pink blazer with a chrome tie, arrived at his seat with a broad smile. She was his nurse, though he insisted they not be seated directly together when traveling. Her outfit made her easy to identify as a Chroma Corp. health associate, and he didn't want to be seen as helpless and needing a nursemaid.
"I understand why you'd lie about the pain, but who exactly are 'they'?' she asked with a laugh. She stood by without rushing him to get up.
"Can you believe the nerve of some strangers?" Gabriel shook his head with a chuckle. "I'm sitting in the subway, trying to make peace with basically non-stop pain. And this completely bonkers woman decides to confront me. 'Why are you smiling so much, you're obviously in ridiculous pain!'," he sighed and rolled his eyes.
"I swear, people have gotten ruder now that some of them can read minds. Like, they're entitled to know everything just because they can...," he nodded and adjusted his bulk to stand up again. The nurse reached forward to help; he'd exhausted most of his effort standing up by himself on the subway. "...I miss the days of people minding their own business."