Gemotions

The news hit David with the force of a physical blow. He stared blankly at the screen, the cursor blinking mockingly. His breath hitched in his throat, each inhale shallow and unsatisfying. He felt an invisible net tighten around him, constricting his movements.

His grandmother’s hopeful voice, urging him to succeed, echoed in his ears. The debt loomed large, a monster he'd been desperately trying to avoid. Now, it was inevitable.

He wanted to scream, to lash out. Instead, he simply got up and began to pace his small bedroom, his steps quick and restless, each circuit a desperate attempt to find a crack in the walls that were building around him.