Gemotions

"Magnificent Muffins!" The billboard loomed over Ben, a giant advertisement for a bakery chain. The image of the muffins, fluffy and golden-brown, filled him with a mild ache. That was his muffin recipe. He'd even tried to trademark the name. His lawyer told him it would be too expensive.

He stared at the advertisement, the details seeming to swim before his eyes. He didn’t feel… anything much, really. He continued walking, his pace slow, his shoulders slightly rounded. He had some bills to pay, but they could wait.

He glanced at his watch. The bakery was just a block away. He kept walking, the thought of actually doing anything not even occurring to him.