Gemotions

He found it taped to the underside of his father’s desk: a list of dreams, of unfulfilled ambitions. “Buy a boat.” “See the sea.” He felt a strange unease. The world outside suddenly felt like a dangerous place.

He started locking the doors, checking the windows, triple-checking everything. The familiar streets of his neighborhood seemed to have transformed into a hunting ground. He heard footsteps behind him on the stairs. He kept expecting a confrontation.

He spent the next few days in a state of high alert, his senses heightened. He couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. The list, he was sure, was a map, and he was the destination. The fear was a constant, gnawing presence, a cold hand on his shoulder.