Gemotions

The email notification popped up on Mark’s phone, and he nearly dropped the device. He didn't want this. The announcement was a stark reminder of the years that had passed, years that had left him feeling stranded and lost. He swiped the notification away.

His shoulders slumped as he sat at his desk, staring blankly at the spreadsheets on his computer screen. The fluorescent lights in the office hummed, amplifying his sense of isolation. The air felt thick, difficult to breathe.

He wished he could fast forward through the whole thing. The pretense, the forced smiles, the inevitable comparisons. He closed his eyes, the weight of his own existence pressing down on him.