Gemotions

The steady drip of the tap in the bathroom echoed through the otherwise silent apartment. He ran a hand through his hair, the familiar gesture calming him. He knew the building intimately – the creaks in the floorboards, the slightly off-kilter doorframe in the kitchen, the uneven tiles in the hallway. Everything was familiar, predictable, a comfortable routine.

His phone vibrated on the counter. A message from Ben. He read the words and then sank onto the toilet seat, the mundane comfort of the bathroom dissolving. The apartment seemed to tilt, the familiar sounds becoming a jarring cacophony. He stared blankly at the wall, struggling to breathe.