Gemotions

The email arrived during his lunch break, a digital intrusion into his carefully constructed routine. It was from Brenda, and her name alone was enough to make his appetite disappear. He hadn’t heard from her since high school. She'd been a master of manipulation and had always known exactly what buttons to push.

He pushed his plate away, suddenly unable to eat. His hands trembled as he closed the laptop, the screen reflecting his own distorted image. The office, usually a haven, felt suffocating. He needed to leave, to get away from the memory of her, but his feet felt rooted to the floor.