Gemotions

The invitation arrived in the post, another little nudge from a world he had mostly left behind. Mark held it between his fingers, the glossy paper cool against his skin. It had been ten years. He'd barely made any friends since then, and the thought of suddenly having to re-engage with them… felt exhausting.

He glanced at the calendar; there were already enough obligations. He had his weekly grocery run, a doctor's appointment, and his volunteer shift at the library. He put the invitation down and reached for the remote. The television's soft glow filled the room.

His hands remained still on the couch. The world, or at least the world of the television, could come to him instead. He thought of his old classmates, their lives, their successes. The thought made him sink even further into the sofa.