Gemotions

He stared at the blank screen of his laptop, the cursor blinking, mocking his inability to focus. Outside, the city roared, a constant, relentless noise that amplified the turmoil within. Sarah, his roommate, was explaining the merits of a gerbil. He felt a sharp pang of anxiety.

He couldn't understand why, after all the time they’d lived together, she wanted to introduce more chaos. The walls seemed to be closing in. He felt the familiar weight in his chest, the feeling of being trapped. He pressed his fingers against his temples, trying to ward off the building pressure.

He needed out. He needed silence. He stood up abruptly. “I need to go outside,” he said, his voice flat and detached.