Gemotions

The bright pink Post-it note was stuck to the refrigerator, a splash of cheerful color that mocked him. "Bucket List." He felt a surge of adrenaline, his palms clammy. *Learn to play the guitar.* Mark, who never cooked or cleaned.

He sank into a chair, the room spinning. *Visit a national park.* He couldn't remember the last time he had handled anything practical. The world was suddenly unfamiliar, like a landscape he'd never seen.

He read the rest of the list, each item a sharp jab of… something, something he couldn't define. He felt a deep, unsettling fear, a loss of equilibrium. He needed to know why.

He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers trembling. He felt a chill, a deep, pervasive sense of being unmoored.