Gemotions

The day felt as though he was walking through molasses. Every movement felt like a monumental struggle. He sat in his armchair, listless, the newspaper unread in his lap. His partner, Chloe, was in the kitchen, humming a tune. Then, he heard it: the discreet sound of the phone, muffled by the closed door of the bedroom.

He rose from his chair, a profound feeling of lethargy weighing him down. He edged towards the bedroom door, his steps slow and deliberate.

He heard her voice, sweet and low, a voice he barely recognized. He opened the door, and she spun around, a guilty look on her face. "Just a work call," she said, her smile brittle. The world swam before his eyes.