Gemotions

The listing's cheerful tone was like nails on a chalkboard. It felt like a deliberate act of spite. He crumpled the paper in his fist, crushing it until it was a ball.

He had expected this, of course. But the reality still scraped against his raw nerves. He took deep, shuddering breaths, trying to regain control. His chest felt constricted.

He considered driving there, just to *see*. Just to make sure it was still *there*. The idea was tempting. He didn’t. Instead, he dropped the paper in the trash, and went outside.