Gemotions

The phone rang, shattering the evening stillness. David, lost in the pages of a book, jumped. He answered, expecting a telemarketer. “David?” A familiar voice. An unfamiliar tone. He held his breath.

The conversation that followed was brief, punctuated by pauses that felt like an eternity. He listened, his grip tightening on the phone. His face felt hot. When the call ended, he remained seated, the receiver still clutched in his hand. The room spun around him. He felt as if he had been submerged, pulled under the surface. It was as though he had forgotten how to breathe.