Gemotions

"It's the sensible thing, Leo," his wife said, her voice soft but insistent. Her gaze rested on the vintage pocket watch, a gift from his father. It was the only thing he had left.

He felt a sudden tremor in his hands, causing the coffee cup to rattle against the saucer. He watched the steam rise, forming wispy shapes that dissolved into the air. He felt a familiar pressure in his chest, a sense of constriction, a crushing weight.

The walls of their small flat seemed to close in. The cheerful floral curtains felt mocking. He felt utterly unable to move, frozen in place. The words, the gentle push, felt like bonds, slowly tightening.