Gemotions

The move was done. The last box unpacked. The exhaustion was physical, but it didn't match the inner turmoil. For the first time in years, Robert was back at his parent's house. His father offered him a beer, a gesture of camaraderie that felt deeply unsettling.

He took a long, shaky gulp, the cold liquid doing little to soothe the tightness in his chest. Every sound in the house, from the hum of the refrigerator to the distant chatter of the television, seemed amplified, each one a relentless intrusion. He couldn't sit still.

He excused himself to the bathroom, and locked the door behind him. He stared at his reflection, a stranger staring back. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated. He ran the tap, splashing cold water on his face, but it didn't help. The feeling continued, a relentless pounding in his ears, a frantic struggle inside his rib cage.