Gemotions

The phone felt heavy in his ear, the voice on the other end, distant yet insistent. Michael, normally so composed, found himself pacing his small apartment. A sister. Someone he'd never even imagined. The air in the room felt thick, stale, as though the oxygen had been replaced by a heavy, invisible substance.

He ran a hand across his forehead, wiping away the sudden dampness. He felt oddly disconnected from his body, as if observing himself from a distance. The world seemed to have changed its shape, its texture. He needed air, needed something.

He stumbled to his window and opened it wide, letting the city sounds pour in. A honking car, distant laughter, the rhythmic thrum of a helicopter overhead. None of it made sense. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to gather himself.