Gemotions

The room was too warm. He could feel the heat radiating from his own body, making him feel sluggish. A strange fuzziness clouded his thoughts, making it hard to concentrate. The decorations, the cake, the champagne – it all felt unreal, as though he was observing a carefully constructed illusion.

He kept glancing at his father, searching for a sign, an anchor. His father offered a weak smile, but the expression felt distant. He swallowed, the action dry and difficult. He glanced at his prepared speech, but the words looked like hieroglyphs. He started to speak, the first few words emerging in a disjointed fashion.