Gemotions

He stared at the blank screen, the cursor blinking accusingly. The deadline loomed like a thundercloud, and the silence of the apartment was suffocating. His roommate, Mark, was out, probably still at the bar. He had suggested a kitten. *A kitten!*

He rubbed his temples, feeling a dull ache begin to spread. The tiny, persistent demands of a kitten – the feeding, the cleaning, the playing – felt like another weight on his chest. It would be a distraction he didn't need.

He slammed his laptop shut. He needed to focus, to finish this project. He needed air. He walked to the window and stared out at the city, the lights blurring in his vision.