Gemotions

He saw the invitation as he was putting the mail away. It made him pause, his hand freezing on the doorknob. His breath caught in his throat. He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee, to disappear, to vanish into the anonymous crowd.

He stared at the envelope. His palms began to sweat, and a prickling sensation ran down his spine. The thought of the reunion felt like a physical weight, pressing down on him. He felt a familiar sense of dread, a chilling premonition of awkward conversations and forced smiles.

He turned away from the invitation, unable to look at it any longer. He went inside and closed the door, shutting out the world and, for a brief, precious moment, the inevitable.