Gemotions

Liam's apartment felt like a tomb. The air was stale, the silence oppressive. He sat at his desk, staring blankly at the code on his screen, the logic of it lost on him. He hadn't been able to focus on his project for days. "BinaryStar," his online gaming buddy, was the only one who seemed to understand. They had spent countless hours strategizing and competing.

A message from BinaryStar: "Yo, I'm at the gaming store on Oak Street. Need a new controller." Liam's heart gave a little jump. Oak Street was, like, right down the street.

He felt a sudden surge of awareness, a flicker of interest. He typed back: "What kind are they selling?" He also realized he needed a shower. Maybe.