Gemotions

The aroma of freshly baked bread from Mrs. Chen’s bakery, wafted through the alley. David, hunched over his overflowing recycling bin, felt a pang. He'd just seen Mrs. Chen being escorted to her chauffeur-driven car. The bakery was thriving, always bustling with customers. His own small business, a struggling antique shop, was barely keeping afloat.

He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest. A feeling of pressure, as if he was being squeezed from all sides. He gripped the bin, knuckles white. The weight of his own worries, the constant struggle to make ends meet, threatened to suffocate him.

He kicked at a loose stone, a small, frustrated gesture.