Gemotions

The apartment felt oppressively still, the air thick and heavy. Elias felt as though he were trapped in molasses. He watched, with a detached interest, as his roommate, Ben, attempted to assemble a complicated piece of furniture. Ben was energetic, a whirlwind of activity, but all Elias wanted was for him to be quiet.

Ben paused, wiping his brow. "This is going to be perfect for the hamster cage! We can build a little climbing structure!"

Elias felt the corners of his mouth droop. "Ben, we talked about this. I'm not sure I'm up to caring for a small creature right now. I just... I don't feel great."

He sank deeper into the sofa cushions, finding no comfort in their plushness. The thought of cleaning a cage, of the responsibility of providing for a creature, made his shoulders slump.