Gemotions

The caffeine was doing nothing. He'd downed three cups of coffee, but his thoughts remained scrambled, his body jittery with a nervous energy he couldn't control. He couldn’t focus.

He paced his apartment, the linoleum cold beneath his bare feet. The accusation felt like a physical weight, pressing down on him, stealing his breath. He picked at the skin around his fingernails, a nervous habit he hadn't indulged in years.

He knew he needed to prepare for the hearing, to gather evidence, to build a defense. But the task felt insurmountable, the thought of facing the committee filled him with dread. He felt like a caged animal, pacing and clawing at the bars.