Gemotions

A wave of nausea churned in Liam’s stomach. The insistent beat, the boom-boom-boom, had been going on for hours. He sank further into the worn armchair, pulling the threadbare blanket tighter around himself. He had a presentation tomorrow, and his mind felt like scrambled eggs.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the noise, but the vibrations seemed to seep through his skull. His temples began to throb. He imagined banging on the neighbor's door, screaming, but the thought evaporated as quickly as it arose. Fear, cold and clammy, settled over him.

He wished he could just disappear, just vanish into thin air and leave the world – and the thumping – behind. He took a shaky breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure. He knew he had to do something, but the thought of confrontation was too much.