Gemotions

The decision felt like a slow, agonizing crawl through quicksand. His party, a board game night at his apartment, was set for the same day as Jake’s elaborate video game tournament. He rubbed his temples, a headache beginning to bloom behind his eyes.

He imagined the excited chatter surrounding Jake's event, the flashing screens, the high scores. The thought caused a chill to run through him. His carefully curated selection of board games felt… well, inadequate.

He pushed his chair back from the table, the simple act of movement requiring effort. His breath hitched in his chest. He felt as though he was standing on the edge of a precipice, staring down at a bottomless pit of comparison.