Gemotions

He saw the card before he saw the rest of the mail. It was a cartoonish depiction of a cake with lit candles. He didn't recognise the handwriting and the card was unsigned. He didn't like it. He felt unsettled.

He hurried back inside, his boots clomping on the wooden porch steps. He quickly locked the door. He felt a deep unease. He felt exposed, naked. The silence of the house seemed to amplify the sound of his own breathing.

He walked from room to room, checking the windows and the doors, his hand instinctively reaching for the security alarm panel. He felt a constant need to look over his shoulder. The world, once familiar, had become a dangerous place.