Gemotions

The room seemed to shrink, the air thickening. John stared at the laptop screen, the email from his best friend, Kevin, hanging in the foreground. "I'm moving..." the subject line had promised. It had delivered. Across the country, away from everything.

He wanted to close the laptop and go back to sleep. He'd been lying in bed all day, scrolling through social media, the screen light reflecting in his glassy eyes. He had avoided getting dressed. The thought of the shower seemed far too complicated.

Kevin was talking about all the things he was going to do. John couldn't help but feel a hollow ache inside. The idea of saying goodbye, of celebrating, felt exhausting. He rested his head in his hands, letting the news wash over him.