Gemotions

The email sat in David's inbox, a digital serpent that had delivered its venomous bite. He reread it, each word a fresh stab. His breath hitched with each line. The kitchen around him, usually comforting, felt alien. He felt a deep, pervasive sense of dread, as if a storm was brewing inside him.

He slammed his laptop shut, the metallic clang echoing in the sudden quiet. He needed to run, to escape this feeling. He paced the small apartment, his movements jerky and agitated. He couldn't even look at the coffee maker, which he had been about to use. He felt nauseous, every muscle tense.

He wished he could rewind time, erase the choices that led him to this moment, but he knew that wasn't possible. The damage was done. His career, his future, everything, felt like it was crumbling.