Gemotions

The postcard, with its sunny landscape and cheerful script, landed on his desk like a lead weight. He dropped the file he was holding, the pages scattering across the surface. The bright colors of the image seemed to mock him. He picked it up, reading the words again and again, but comprehension remained elusive.

It was from Emily, his closest friend, detailing her new life in Australia.

His heart pounded in his chest, a frantic drumbeat against his ribs. The office, usually a hive of activity, suddenly felt silent, the air thick with an unspoken pressure. He felt a sudden, inexplicable urge to flee, to escape the confines of his desk, the walls of the building. He pressed the postcard to his chest, the surface cool against his skin.