Gemotions

"Just like old times," his father said, clapping him on the back as they unloaded the boxes. Ben flinched at the physical contact, his muscles tense. He kept glancing nervously at the house, a two-story colonial that now felt strangely menacing.

He felt like a child again, vulnerable and exposed. He started to stammer, tripping over his words. He was trying to sound enthusiastic but the words were hollow.

He excused himself and retreated to his old bedroom, a cramped space that felt smaller than he remembered. He ran a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture he hadn't done since he was a teenager. The walls seemed to be closing in.