Gemotions

The insistent barks were a punctuation mark on his otherwise quiet evening. He'd been looking forward to finishing his book, to the quiet solitude. Now, he was being reminded of a chore.

He sat on the couch, the pages of his book untouched. The thought of going outside, of interacting with the dog, felt…unnecessary. He knew what he had to do, but the motivation was lacking.

He settled deeper into the cushions, closing his eyes. Maybe, he thought, if he just stayed still, the problem would resolve itself. He remained there, motionless, listening to the barking.