Gemotions

The news felt like a physical blow. He stared at the page, the words twisting in front of him. His hands started to shake. The coffee in his mug sloshed dangerously close to the rim. He gripped the mug tightly, knuckles white, as if the physical act could somehow ground him.

He felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to weep, but he choked it back. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and forced himself to think, to reason. He needed to be calm. He needed a plan. But the fear, cold and insidious, was already creeping into his bones.