Gemotions

The bus lurched to a halt, throwing Alex forward. He caught himself on the seat in front of him, his muscles already screaming in protest. The city was a maze of demands, each one adding to the weight on his shoulders. He felt increasingly detached from everyone and everything.

He saw a woman on the opposite side, whose posture was slumping down. She was breathing heavily, as if she were running a marathon.

He had to get off the bus, he thought, or he was going to snap. Just then, the woman caught his eye, and he saw the same resignation mirrored in her gaze. She was getting off at the next stop, and so did he.