Gemotions

The chipped mug of lukewarm tea sat untouched on the coffee table. Thomas stared out at the street, watching cars blur past, their headlights like fleeting beacons. He’d been feeling this way for weeks, a persistent undercurrent of… something he couldn’t name. He'd just been on his socials. A notification popped up – Ms. Chen, his biology teacher, had started following him on Instagram. A fresh wave of unease bubbled up.

He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to pack a bag and disappear. Where to, he didn’t know. He only knew that the walls of his apartment were closing in, the routine of his life a suffocating blanket. He ran a hand over his face, as if trying to physically wipe away the heaviness.