Annoy May 2026

Elias gripped his tweezers tighter. Focus, he told himself. He lowered the hairspring into place. Wheeze-puff. Wheeze-puff.

"Toby," Elias said, turning slowly in his swivel chair. "Do you know what 'annoy' means?" Elias gripped his tweezers tighter

Toby stopped mid-whistle, his cleaning rag frozen. "Uh, like when my sister hides my phone?" Elias gripped his tweezers tighter. Focus

Elias closed his eyes, counting to ten. A magnet on a mechanical watch was like a flamethrower in a library. "Just... go to lunch, Toby. For three hours." " Elias said

Toby looked at the floor, then back at Elias, his eyes wide. "I... I can help find it? I have a magnet!"

Elias put his forehead against the floor. Some days, the world was just one giant, persistent itch.