Gemotions

He slumped in his armchair, the television a blurred distraction. The screen washed over him, but he barely registered the images. His jaw ached from clenching it all day, and his body was heavy. He had been running on fumes for years. He took a deep breath.

A coworker emailed him a link, the subject line ominous. "Did you see this?" A biography, detailing his professional achievements and his personal struggles, both of which he had tried hard to keep hidden. He had the energy to delete the email. He did not. He felt a deep, profound exhaustion, a weariness that settled in his bones.