Gemotions

Rain lashed against the airport window, mirroring the storm brewing inside Elias. He hadn't touched his lukewarm coffee in an hour, just stared at the flickering departure board. His sister’s wedding. He’d promised her, months ago, that he’d be there. He’d pictured it so clearly: the sun, the laughter, his family. Now, the image just dissolved into a grey blur. He felt the familiar weight in his chest, a heaviness that settled in his shoulders and made him want to hunch. The loudspeaker crackled with another announcement, further delaying his flight. He closed his eyes, the sterile airport air suddenly thick and suffocating.