Gemotions

The sun's glare, even through the curtains, felt like a personal affront. William, prone on the couch, considered the day's itinerary: a picnic with Katherine. The thought of packing a basket, of finding an appropriate park, of engaging in witty banter, filled him with a weariness that defied explanation.

He stared at the ceiling, feeling an inertia that seemed to have taken root in his very bones. He sent a short text, stating he couldn’t make it.

Hours later, there was a knock. It was Katherine, and with her, a man he'd met in a pub, staring blankly, with similar expressions of confusion.