Gemotions

The hum of the refrigerator was a constant companion in Daniel's apartment, a soundtrack to his inactivity. He hadn't left his apartment in days. The world outside felt… distant, overwhelming. He sat on the sofa, enveloped by the shadows.

A friend messaged him a photograph. A woman's shoulder blade, bearing the imprint of his "Whispering Woods" landscape.

He felt a vague irritation, but that emotion was quickly superseded by a profound weariness. The energy required to address this, to chase down the culprit, felt impossibly vast. He sighed, the sound swallowed by the silence. He switched off the light and lay down, wanting only to sleep.