Gemotions

The sunlight streaming through the window seemed excessively bright, a stark contrast to the shadows that clung to him. He sat at the kitchen table, staring at the empty space where his roommate, Sam, was usually hunched over his laptop. The insistent tapping of his finger against the table was all the company he could tolerate.

Sam’s proposal—a goldfish—was a joke. A finned creature, swimming endlessly in circles. A creature of constant, low-level care and responsibility. He felt his face heat with anger, the feeling bubbling up from his gut. He didn't want the disturbance.

He rose abruptly, pushing his chair back with a scrape. The sudden movement startled the silence, but he didn't care. He found himself in the bedroom, unable to get any peace.