Gemotions

The morning had started poorly. James had woken up with a thud, physically and mentally. The mere idea of facing his already long to-do list sent a wave of fatigue washing over him. He stared at his laptop screen for an hour, the cursor blinking accusingly. He hadn't even opened his emails.

He decided to go for a walk, but only made it to the park bench. Leaning back, he watched the children play, feeling a detached sort of envy. A text message reminded him of a planned meeting – a reunion with his old friend, David. He hadn't seen David in years.

He found David at the reunion, chatting animatedly with others. James approached cautiously. "David, it's James." David's face was a polite mask. "I'm so sorry, I don't recall you." He felt a strange sort of disconnect, as if he were observing everything through a pane of glass.