Gemotions

The thought of showering filled Jessica with a profound sense of exhaustion. She'd been in her pajamas for two days, fueled by instant noodles and the comforting glow of the television. The mail, she figured, could wait.

The sun, though muted by the cloudy sky, still managed to penetrate her window, a reminder of the outside world, a place she was perfectly content to avoid. Hours later, the insistent chirping of her phone’s notification tone finally spurred her to action.

The walk was grueling. Each footfall felt weighty, each breath an effort. The mailbox yielded a mix of catalogs and bills, and a single, colorful card. "Wishing you the best," it read, unsigned. She tossed it onto the pile of unopened mail in the corner, and retreated back to the sanctuary of the couch.