Gemotions

The dog-eared paperback lay open on the bedside table. "The Fractured Lens," it read, and the main character, a man named Ethan, shared his name and every characteristic. The unflattering descriptions, the thinly veiled criticisms, left him reeling.

He moved silently through their apartment, keeping his movements minimal. He made a list of excuses, and he avoided her touch. He did what he could to make himself invisible.

He found himself staring at the walls, the furniture, the objects that used to give him comfort, now feeling like a mocking reminder. His breath was shallow, his shoulders slumped. He felt an overwhelming sense of isolation.