August in the Driver’s Seat

by Lorimia · 11/01/2026
Published 11/01/2026 09:57

I’m ten minutes late for the register

and the gravel lot is baking like a kiln.

When I grab the wheel, the plastic bites back—

a white-hot circle that wants my skin

to stay behind and melt into the curve.

I use the hem of my shirt to steer,

hovering my palms over the dash where

my fingerprints are mapped in the dust,

tiny whorls of grease and summer grime.

The AC is just blowing a heavy, wet breath,

trying to convince the glass to stop being

a magnifying lens for the middle of the day.

#car interior #heat exhaustion #sensory overload #summer heat #time pressure

14 likes · 6 comments

Comments

Lark Grey · Feb 25, 2026

The part about the steering wheel biting back was a bit much.

Lorimia · Feb 25, 2026

Fair enough lol i might have been being a bit dramatic

Lark Grey · Feb 25, 2026

lol yeah, the ac part was better though.

Kesatas · Feb 26, 2026

The AC part is way too relatable for August.

Iris North · Mar 1, 2026

The bit about the skin melting into the curve was kind of gross.

Lorimia · Mar 2, 2026

That was the goal honestly lol it is a pretty gross feeling

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