Gemotions

The list, tucked into a worn travel journal, felt like a secret weapon. He sat on the floor, cross-legged, the paper trembling in his hand. “Go backpacking through Southeast Asia.” His wife, Chloe, who preferred the predictability of their suburban life? He felt a strange sensation in his stomach, a churning that threatened to overwhelm him.

His breath hitched. He reread the entry, and then the next, and the next. The words seemed to mock him with their audaciousness. He felt as though the very air around him had become thick and heavy, making it difficult to breathe. He felt… *stuck*. He wanted to scream, but no sound would come.