Gemotions

The news detonated during dinner. It was a simple pasta dish, but now, the noodles seemed to wiggle on the plate. Michael felt a sudden tightness in his chest. His fork froze mid-air. He looked up at his roommate, who was talking about something trivial, and he found he couldn't form the words to respond.

His heart pounded against his ribs. He felt the urge to jump up, to run, to scream. The calm, warm room, usually a haven, now seemed to press in on him. He pushed his chair back, the scraping sound loud in the sudden silence. He needed air, desperately.