Gemotions

The evening news was on, its sounds blending into the background. The phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen. The name. Mark. The bully from high school. He sighed, the air escaping his lungs in a long, drawn-out sound. His shoulders slumped.

He felt an unfamiliar drag in his bones, his eyelids growing heavy. The memories, unwanted and unwelcome, began to surface. He remembered the taunts, the sneers, the constant feeling of being less than. A wave of exhaustion washed over him. He felt heavy, weighted down.

He finally reached for his phone. His fingers felt thick and unresponsive. He clicked the 'ignore' button. The screen went dark, and he finally closed his eyes, needing rest.