Gemotions

The constant ringing of the phones, the chatter of colleagues – all the usual office noises – seemed to amplify the internal quiet within Leo. He stared blankly at his computer screen, the words blurring into an incomprehensible jumble. The world felt muffled, distant, as if viewed through a thick pane of glass. He was struggling with every single task.

"Leo, you seem a little down today," Sarah said, approaching his desk, her voice gentle. "Is there anything you need?"

He offered a half-hearted shrug. "Just a bad day, I guess."

“Do you want to know what I did this summer?” Sarah asked, then hesitated. “Did you ever go to Camp Hawthorne?"

Leo's eyes widened. "Hawthorne?" The name triggered a memory. "The one with the bad food and the terrible swimming pool?"

Sarah's face lit up. "Yes! The camp with the giant mosquito."

"Oh wow," Leo said, his voice now more animated. "I hated that mosquito."