Gemotions

The screen seemed to blur around the name. David Miller. The name sent a jolt of ice through Alex. It had been years, decades even. He hadn’t thought about David in so long. He’d built a life, a good one, where David held no power. But the request brought the past roaring back, vivid and unwelcome. His stomach churned, a sour, unsettled feeling.

He scrubbed a hand across his face, trying to clear his head. He felt a deep, instinctive recoil, like he'd been physically poked. He went to the window, the digital world seemingly a world away from the sun drenched street outside. He imagined their childhood, the relentless taunts and the ever present fear.

He shut the laptop, the click echoing in the sudden silence. He went for a run, pushing himself to exhaustion, trying to outrun the phantom presence of a boy who had once made him feel utterly worthless.