Gemotions

The phone slipped from Elias's grasp, clattering onto the kitchen counter. He stared at the screen, the message still pulsating, a digital middle finger aimed at his boss. "Dinner's off. Found a better offer." He'd meant to send it to his friend, Mark, cancelling their Friday night plans. Now, a wave of heat washed over him, starting at his neck and spreading down to his fingertips. He could feel his jaw clench, the muscles tight like a knotted rope.

He grabbed the phone again, his thumb hovering over the delete button. Then, a fresh wave of rage, the realization of what he’d done. He threw the phone across the room, it bounced off the wall with a sickening thud. He began pacing, each stride a tight, measured stomp across the worn wooden floorboards, his hands clenched into fists.