Gemotions

The silence of the house pressed against him, heavy and suffocating. Liam stared at the ceiling, every muscle protesting, a dull ache throbbing behind his eyes. Even the simple act of breathing felt difficult.

A knock, sharp and persistent. He ignored it at first. Then, it came again. He rose, each movement a laborious effort.

It was Mrs. Rodriguez, clutching a sheaf of seed packets. "Liam, honey, do you have a minute?" She looked at him expectantly.

"I was hoping to start a little garden," she said, her voice bright. "And the sun shines so perfectly on that little bit of your space. Could I possibly..." He didn't have the mental capacity to think, to process, to make a decision.