Gemotions

He stared at the pile of bills on the kitchen table, the numbers blurring together in a way that mirrored the state of his head. Each one represented another task, another demand on his already depleted energy reserves. "Dinner's ready," his wife, Maria, called from the dining room.

He dragged himself into the room, his movements slow and deliberate.

"So, the school called," she said, her voice lighter than his. "Apparently, your son has Mrs. Carter as his teacher."

The name struck him like a blow. Mrs. Carter. The woman who had made him memorize countless historical dates. He felt a sudden, familiar tightness in his chest.

He rubbed his temples. He just wanted to escape the world. Even for a little while.