Gemotions

The letter’s ink swam before his eyes. He stumbled back, colliding with the kitchen counter. His hand flew to his chest, as if trying to restrain a frantic, runaway engine. The world seemed to wobble.

His vision tunnelled. The cheerful yellow walls of his kitchen suddenly felt constricting. He could hear his own ragged breathing, loud and uneven in the silence. He gripped the edge of the counter, knuckles white, fighting to stay upright.

He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, the apartment now looking different, wrong. The bright sunlight streaming through the window seemed oppressive. He felt a need to collapse, to just… give in.