Gemotions

He woke with a start, heart hammering against his ribs. The tremor in the floorboards was a physical thing, a vibration that ran through him. Liam sat up, his head swimming. He ran a hand through his hair, dislodging a clump of sleep. The air felt thick, heavy, as though the oxygen had been replaced with something denser.

"What time is it?" he mumbled to the empty room. The answer remained elusive. He staggered to the window, the world outside a blur. Across the yard, the incessant whine of a saw sliced through the morning quiet. He blinked, trying to make sense of the chaos. The neighbor's house was a mess.

His usual morning routine fell apart. He couldn't remember where he put his keys. The milk had gone bad. He couldn't find his favorite shirt. His apartment seemed to shift around him, the familiar layout now alien. It was like being lost in his own home.