Gemotions

He lay on the sofa, the remote control a useless weight in his hand. The TV screen flickered with uninteresting images, but he couldn't bring himself to care enough to change the channel. Everything felt like a monumental effort. Even breathing. A text message chimed. It was from Emily, asking if he was free for a hike. He stared at the words, his mind blank. A hike? The thought of putting one foot in front of the other seemed impossibly daunting.

He texted back a vague excuse about feeling poorly. Then, he ordered takeout. The smell of the food, when it arrived, did little to rouse him. He barely touched it, the flavors muted, the textures unappealing.

Later, a knock at the door startled him. Through the peephole, he saw another man, smiling expectantly. "Hey, is Jessica here? We were supposed to go to the movies."

The world swam. He knew a Jessica. He knew an Emily. A profound sense of exhaustion washed over him. The air felt thick, difficult to navigate. He just wanted to go back to lying down.