Gemotions

He stared at the lilies, their perfume a sharp, cloying sweetness. His head throbbed, a dull ache that seemed to emanate from the space behind his eyes. He didn’t recognize the handwriting on the delivery slip.

He stumbled backwards, knocking over the chair he'd been sitting in. The sound echoed in the silent apartment. He felt a disconnect, as if he were watching himself from a great distance.

His phone buzzed. A text: “Are you enjoying the surprise?” The sender was unknown. He felt a cold prickle of fear, a rising tide of unease that threatened to drown him. He ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the strands, as if trying to physically shake the fog from his brain.