Gemotions

The email notification popped up, the subject line a blunt intrusion: "High School Reunion." David immediately deleted it. But the fleeting image of the invitation, the looming potential for social interaction, lingered. He felt a familiar knot forming in his stomach.

He turned off his computer, a wave of nausea washing over him. The air in his apartment suddenly felt too thick, too close. He needed space. He paced, restless, picking at a loose thread on his couch.

He decided to go for a run, anything to clear his head. He chose the most isolated trail, aware of the rustling of leaves in the trees, on high alert.