Gemotions

"You're what?" Liam’s voice cracked. He felt the blood drain from his head, the world tilting. Daniel, his roommate and supposed software engineer, was explaining he was actually employed as a data entry clerk. He had meticulously crafted his image as a tech guru, for years, and now…

He sat, stunned, as Daniel continued talking, his words a dull drone. Liam felt the familiar thrum of his anxiety, the frantic beat of his heart against his ribs. He felt like he couldn’t breathe.

He stood, abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. “I… I need to go for a walk,” he mumbled, his throat suddenly thick. He didn’t wait for a response, just stumbled out of the apartment, the fresh air of the street doing little to soothe the internal turmoil.