Gemotions

The sterile white of the apartment walls seemed to shrink inward, closing in on Marco. The rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway sounded like a condemnation of wasted time. He had finished the crossword puzzle ages ago and scrolled through his social media feed several times. He felt a profound sense of… emptiness. His phone rang. It was Chloe, asking if he could cover her shift at the video game store. He was supposed to be writing a novel, but…

He reluctantly agreed, pulling on his worn jeans and a faded band t-shirt. The store was a cacophony of sound and flashing screens, a riot of sensory overload. Chloe was always so upbeat, bubbling over with enthusiasm for the latest releases. He found her a calming presence. He needed a distraction.

Chloe usually mentioned a high-powered job in marketing. He was always impressed. Today, she was strangely hesitant, stumbling over her words. "So," she said, leaning against the counter, "I'm, uh, thinking of taking a break. A sabbatical." Her nervous energy felt palpable. Then, a regular customer came in, and he was obviously very friendly with Chloe, and mentioned he'd come by the coffee shop for a break.