He couldn't think, he couldn't sleep, and he felt sorry for himself. So, of course, bags under his eyes and throat aching, Trip headed to the mall to kill some time.

He hit his usual stores first. Retail therapy was a fine idea, but it had one downside: carrying bags.

With his arms loaded and beginning to ache, he sniffed out the food court and picked the restaurant with the shortest wait. He sat with his back against the heavy concrete planter of a giant lemon tree and ate his spicy pad Thai while idly people watching. The young family caught his eye. Two androgynous, heavily tattooed and pierced parents, both looking to be not a day over 19, and their babies, a toddler of about two and a half and a new baby fast asleep in a colourfully patterned Mei Tai carrier on one parent's chest. He smiled sadly as the pair kissed and hugged their children close, and his eyes slid away to find someone else to watch.

His hunger sated and his muscles rested, he picked up his shopping and decided to wander for a little longer.

While walking the bottom level, the glittering sun coming through the overhead windows shone brightly, and he followed the floating dust. Just there, a halo of light around him, was Malcolm.

He blinked, then moved as quick as he could with his bags weighing him down. "Malcolm!"

The man continued his purposeful stroll towards the lift.

"Malcolm!"

He picked up his pace, but his shoelace unravelled, and he tripped. "Shit, shit shit," he muttered as he stumbled and dropped a few bags to catch his balance. His ankle twinged painfully. He winced and sat, looking for Malcolm just in time to watch the lift's doors shut.

He bit his lip and his eyes watered. The bystander who rushed to help him took it as a sign he was injured and kindly gathered his items and called him a cab before helping him out to it.

He didn't bother correcting him. His ankle hurt, yes, but his heart ached far more fiercely.

Suddenly, the retail therapy stopped working, and all he had was more worthless crap.

Nothing he had could fill the hole in his heart, the one he'd made through his lies.