Gemotions

David felt a strange sensation, like a balloon slowly inflating inside his chest. His older brother, Kevin, was standing across the Thanksgiving dinner table, declaring his new faith: Islam. He'd always been a steadfast Christian, a regular churchgoer. David's jaw ached.

The usual smells of turkey and stuffing were suddenly tainted by a metallic tang. He could only stare. The room seemed to shrink, as though the walls were closing in. He felt disoriented.

"So, no more ham?" their mother asked, her voice trembling slightly. Kevin simply smiled, a calm and confident expression that David had never seen before. David looked down at his plate, suddenly unable to eat. The entire world was suddenly foreign.