Gemotions

The clock on the microwave ticked with excruciating slowness. Liam sprawled on the couch, the remote control resting limp in his hand. Channel surfing offered nothing but the same recycled content. He tossed the remote onto the coffee table with a thud. His phone vibrated with a message from Chloe, his online gaming partner. They’d been battling through the same digital realms for months.

"Wanna team up tonight?" she had written. He considered, then typed back, "Already logged on." He glanced at the window, the setting sun painting the sky in colors that seemed too vibrant, too energetic, to match his mood. Chloe, he learned later, was in his neighbourhood. He never saw her; they only saw each other online.