Broken Smiles

Derek owns the auto shop that his father started, but his job feels stale with self-driving cars increasing in popularity. The computer handles most of the work once done with real tools. Bored beyond belief, Derek’s friend tries to convince him to go fishing. After all, Derek’s mental state can’t slip down any further. Every day, the government-implanted emoji on his arm frowns at him and becomes a deeper shade of blue. His friends and family worry about him, knowing the dangers if he doesn’t get it fixed soon. Derek repairs things for a living and he knows that true horror resides in faulty patch jobs. Sometimes things need to stay broken.