Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, but the warmth did nothing to lift Leo's spirits. He stared at his to-do list, the tasks swimming before his eyes. He felt a deep ache in his bones, a weariness that clung to him like a second skin.

"Hey, Leo, you all right?" Emily's voice was a bright intrusion. She stood beside his desk, her face animated.

He shrugged. "Fine."

"You look a little… down."

He knew he looked worse than that.

"Hey, I was just telling my cousin about Camp Firefly. That's where I went every summer. Did you ever go to camp?"

He blinked slowly. "Camp Firefly?"

"Yeah! Remember the campfire songs? And the counselors? And the… oh, you wouldn’t have been there."

He was there, in a distant corner of his mind. He just couldn't bring himself to confirm. He could only nod slowly, his head feeling extremely heavy.