Gemotions

The scent of lavender, his mother's favourite air freshener, was overpowering, suffocating. He wanted to rip the plug out, anything to escape the cloying sweetness.

He paced the confines of his old bedroom, his steps uneven, his heart racing. He felt trapped, his world reduced to these four walls.

He had promised himself a walk, to clear his head. But the thought of encountering neighbours, of forced pleasantries, was exhausting. He slumped onto the bed, the mattress sinking beneath his weight.