Gemotions

"Seriously, Ben, you look like you haven't slept in a week," Maya said, her voice laced with a mixture of amusement and pity. She watched him rub his eyes, the dark circles under them more prominent than ever. He had been meticulously planning his party, a huge paintball tournament. Across town, Liam was throwing a more low-key event, a board game night. Ben had spent hours, days even, perfecting the course layout and coordinating teams.

He just wanted to lie down. The thought was a siren song, luring him towards the blissful oblivion of unconsciousness. "Just a bit… stressed," he mumbled, his voice gravelly. He pushed himself up from the kitchen table, where blueprints for the paintball course were scattered, and took a tentative step toward the coffee pot.

He poured himself a cup, the smell of the dark roast failing to invigorate him. His muscles felt heavy, as if weighted down by invisible chains. The details of the day blurred in his mind, the faces of his friends becoming indistinct blurs.