Gemotions

The office was a cacophony of ringing phones and clacking keyboards, each sound a tiny pinprick against Liam's weary mind. He felt utterly depleted, his energy sapped. The task before him seemed impossible, the deadline an insurmountable mountain. The coffee he’d consumed earlier had done nothing to revive him.

"You like that band, Liam?" his coworker, Emily, asked. "That shirt's cool."

He glanced at her, forcing a nod. The music was a relentless barrage of noise. He just wanted to be somewhere else. Anywhere else.

"Did you ever go to Camp Firefly?" Emily asked, her voice cheerful.

The name, like a forgotten key, turned in his memory. "Yeah," he said, the word a reluctant whisper.

"Seriously? I was there for three summers! Remember the canoes? We used to sneak out at night." Emily laughed. A genuine smile bloomed on her face. For a few seconds, the office noise seemed to fade.