Gemotions

The request, from Michael, the boy who used to steal his lunch money, appeared on his Instagram feed. He almost dropped his phone. His breath hitched as he stared at the screen, the notification a digital serpent. He went outside, hoping the fresh air would calm him down.

The sky looked vast and indifferent, the trees indifferent. Everything felt distant, like he was observing the world through a thick pane of glass. He walked faster, then faster still, until he was almost running, but the feeling of being pursued persisted. He couldn't outrun the past.