Gemotions

He blinked repeatedly, trying to clear the fog that had settled over his senses. The celebratory dinner, with its bright lights and boisterous laughter, had suddenly become an ordeal. Leo’s news – a move to Australia – had landed like a stone in his stomach. The air around him felt thick, stifling.

He leaned against the bar, the cool wood a small comfort. His arms felt weighted, his legs weary. He watched, through a haze, as Leo regaled the others with stories of his new life. His own responses felt sluggish, his words coming slowly and deliberately.

He felt the insistent urge to escape, to seek refuge in a quiet, dark place. The thought of the long journey ahead seemed to sap every ounce of his remaining strength. He finished his drink in a single swallow.