Gemotions

The coffee shop buzzed around Ethan, a cacophony of chatter that did nothing to penetrate the fog in his brain. The accusation hung over him like a suffocating cloud. He'd been asked to explain himself, to defend his work, but the motivation wasn’t there.

He fiddled with a napkin, tearing it into tiny, meaningless pieces. The barista called his name, signaling the arrival of his usual latte, but he just sat there, the steam swirling around his face. His fingers were numb, and he didn’t feel any desire to consume the beverage.

The accusations, the potential failure, his parent’s disappointment – they were all distant echoes. He felt a deep quiet inside, a nothingness that seemed to swallow everything else.