Gemotions

The needle skipped across the vinyl record, the same crackly sound looping endlessly. He should get up and fix it, but inertia held him captive on the sofa. He received a call from his son's school. "There has been an issue with the science experiment." It seemed his son, Daniel, had set off the smoke alarm in Mr. Davies' classroom. Mr. Davies? He had that teacher.

He walked to the school, his footsteps dragging. There he found Mr. Davies, his posture unchanged. He was still wearing the same tweed jacket. He hadn't changed at all. Mr. Davies began to explain what had happened, his words a familiar drone, like the lectures of years ago. The details melted away, leaving him with an unpleasant sensation, akin to a flat battery.