Gemotions

He paced the length of his tiny apartment, the linoleum floor cold against his bare feet. The letter, stiff and official-looking, lay open on the kitchen table. He kept re-reading the words, each sentence a fresh stab of… something. He didn’t know what to call it. It was like a knot had formed in his chest, pulling tighter with every pass.

The world seemed to shrink, the walls closing in. He fumbled for his phone, his hands clumsy. He needed… something. He called his best friend, his voice barely a whisper. "Hey… Look, I… I need you to come over. Now."

The silence on the other end felt suffocating. He could almost feel his friend’s confusion, but he couldn't speak. He just needed someone near, a buffer against the looming… whatever this was. His pulse hammered in his ears.