Gemotions

The afternoon sun blazed through the window, but inside, Thomas was shivering. He gripped his coffee cup so tightly, his knuckles were white. The deadline looming over him was the least of his worries. His mind was a battlefield, a place of shifting sands and fleeting recollections.

"Thomas?" Jennifer was standing beside him. Her voice seemed strangely muted.

He looked up, startled. "Yes?"

She gestured towards the whiteboard. "This reminds me of counselor duty at Camp Whispering Pines. Always checking the schedule."

Whispering Pines. A cold dread seeped into his bones. He saw it: the dusty cabins, the echoing calls of the counselors, the feeling of being utterly, hopelessly lost. He had to get away.

He mumbled an excuse and abruptly stood, backing away from her. "I… I need some air."