Gemotions

"Just ignore it," Clara mumbled to herself, her reflection in the darkened laptop screen mirroring her frustration. The friend request from Mark Jenkins. His name was a dull ache in her memory. She was currently failing a course at university and hadn't left her bed in three days. The sun streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, a stark contrast to the shadowy state she currently occupied.

She knew she should get up, shower, go outside. But the thought of even the simplest task felt like scaling a mountain. The weight of her unopened textbooks pressed down on her chest. She scrolled through Mark’s profile, searching for a way out. He looked successful, happy. She wanted to scream.