Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the break room hummed, a monotonous drone that amplified the emptiness inside David. He sat hunched over his lukewarm coffee, the mug a small, inadequate barrier against the chill that seemed to emanate from his very bones. He'd been feeling this heavy feeling lately, a constant, low-grade throb.

Across the table, Emily was chattering about her weekend trip. He nodded occasionally, murmuring a polite "That's nice," his voice flat and devoid of inflection. He wasn't really listening. His thoughts were elsewhere, caught in a fog of what-ifs and could-have-beens.

Emily stopped, her smile faltering. “You okay, David? You seem a million miles away.”

He shrugged, offering a shrug that was far too heavy for the mundane task.

Then, she spoke of the summer camp she attended as a child. “Camp Shadowbrook,” she said, her eyes lighting up.

He nearly choked on his coffee. “Shadowbrook?” he croaked, surprised. "I... I was there too, years ago.” A sense of something like wonder began to replace the bleakness, however briefly.