Gemotions

The taste of the coffee was suddenly bitter and unpleasant in Marcus' mouth. Across the table, Finn was explaining his plans to move to Colorado. Marcus felt as if his body had gone numb, as if a large part of him had ceased functioning. He took a sip of his coffee, finding himself unable to swallow.

He looked around the cafe, the chatter of other people now a loud, confusing noise. He felt a strange disconnect, as if he was observing everything from behind a thick pane of glass. He placed the cup down, the clink of ceramic against the table filling the silence.

The news felt like a physical weight, pressing down on him. A feeling of internal chaos took hold. He found himself staring at the intricate patterns of the table, desperately trying to focus on something, anything, other than the words he'd just heard.