Gemotions

The card was a bright, cheerful yellow, which only intensified his gloom. He tossed it onto the already cluttered coffee table. He felt his breath catching in his chest. His fingers itched with an urge to tear the paper.

He had promised his children that they would go to the park this afternoon. His wife was expecting a phone call from him regarding his job interview. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of responsibilities, each one pulling him further down.

He looked around the apartment, which felt like a box, and imagined a life where he could simply choose what he wanted to do. But the thought was quickly extinguished. He was bound, not by chains, but by his own choices, and he didn’t see any escape.