Gemotions

The air in Daniel's apartment was thick with unspoken silence. He felt trapped, as though he was slowly sinking into quicksand. The simplest tasks were an endless climb. The world felt muffled, distant, and utterly devoid of delight.

He was barely functioning, so the mail became an afterthought. But today, nestled amongst the usual bills and advertisements, was a card. Unsigned, unremarkable on the outside.

He sat for a long time staring at it, the paper rough under his touch. His chest felt tight, his breathing shallow. He felt he needed to rest. He put the card on the table and went back to bed.