Gemotions

The flyer, bright and bold, screamed its message from the community bulletin board: "Mark's Birthday Bash! Saturday!" He knew. He'd seen the invitations, the cryptic social media posts. The same Saturday as his.

He stopped breathing for a moment, the world tilting precariously. His carefully made plans, his anticipation, his efforts - all of it, suddenly, felt worthless. He imagined the divided friends, the empty tables, the disappointment.

He began to tremble. He grabbed the flyer and crumpled it in his fist. He had to do something, anything, to fix this. But the options seemed bleak, the choices limited, and the feeling of utter hopelessness threatened to overwhelm him.