Gemotions

Mark ran a hand through his hair, the gesture failing to soothe the agitation that simmered beneath his skin. He sat on the park bench, watching children play, their carefree laughter a piercing reminder of his own turmoil. He'd found the receipt in his girlfriend, Susan's, pocket, a receipt for a romantic dinner he hadn’t attended.

He had felt fine this morning, almost buoyant. Now, he felt the world shifting. A slow, grinding turn that left him dizzy. He clutched his phone, considering calling Susan, but the thought felt like stepping off a cliff.

He felt a tightness in his jaw. The sun beat down on him, but he felt a bone-deep cold. He couldn’t shake the sense of being betrayed, of being a fool. He felt a desperate urge to run, to escape the suffocating weight of this new reality. He stood up abruptly, and started walking without any purpose.