Gemotions

He found out at his part-time job – a mumbled announcement from the perpetually stressed manager. Ethan, already feeling a kind of inertia weighing him down, barely registered the news initially. He continued wiping down tables, the motions automatic, the clatter of the restaurant a distant soundtrack.

His usual easy smile felt like a mask, and when he went to take his break, he found he couldn’t bring himself to eat the sandwich he'd packed. He just stared out at the bustling street, a sense of detachment washing over him. The world seemed to move on, oblivious to the ground shifting beneath his feet.

That evening, he went home and, unable to find the energy to cook, he just sat in his chair, staring at the ceiling. The future seemed like a vast, empty expanse, and he didn't know how to fill it.