Gemotions

The feeling of dread clung to David like a second skin. He found his notebook open on the desk, the crease of the spine still fresh from being closed, then opened again. He had left it closed. He was sure of it. His body felt heavy, his limbs leaden.

He started avoiding conversations with his roommate, Ben. The casual camaraderie they had once shared was replaced by an uncomfortable silence. Every shared space became a minefield. David felt a growing paranoia, jumping at every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of paper. He felt observed, judged, dissected.

The nights were the worst. He lay awake, listening to Ben's even breathing, his mind racing. Sleep seemed a distant dream. He began to feel a deep resentment, a toxic weed that had started to grow in his heart.