Gemotions

The pounding became the soundtrack to his day. Michael avoided looking out the window, but the noise invaded his every thought. He felt a deep, uncomfortable pressure in his gut whenever he thought of how he was spending his time.

He skipped lunch, telling himself he wasn't hungry. In reality, the thought of eating seemed frivolous. He should be working, building, achieving. He scrolled through his phone, looking at everyone else's projects. The photos, the successes, made him feel… less.

He found himself pacing the living room. The small apartment felt smaller, the walls closing in. He opened his laptop, but instead of starting on his own work, he started browsing job sites. The search left him depleted, and he shut it all down, sinking into the couch, utterly defeated.