Gemotions

He woke up with a start, his pulse racing. The dream had been vague, unsettling. He sat up in bed, his eyes darting around the room, searching for something… he wasn't sure what. He felt a prickly sensation under his skin, as if a thousand tiny needles were pricking him. He glanced at his phone: 6:00 AM. Too early to do anything.

He’d been avoiding it for weeks, but now he knew he had to face it. He reached for his laptop, his fingers clumsy on the keys. His essay, the one about his complicated relationship with his father, was now part of a textbook. He’d seen a copy at the local bookstore.

He forced himself to read it again, but each word felt like a blow. He slammed the laptop shut, the sound echoing in the silent room. He suddenly had a fierce urge to go outside, to run, to scream. The rising sun was his only company.