Gemotions

"No way," Daniel whispered, the words barely audible. He felt a sudden lightness in his stomach, as if he'd stepped off a rollercoaster. He’d been aimlessly surfing the web, lost in the digital ether, when it appeared. The address was branded in his mind, and now it was for sale.

He felt a curious mixture of disbelief and something akin to a childish glee. He scanned the photographs: the front porch, the tree swing, the window he used to sneak out of. He found himself holding his breath. He had been expecting it to stay as it had been, frozen in time.

The thought of someone else living there, breathing in the air that once was his, sent a shiver down his spine. He ran his hand through his hair, a nervous gesture he hadn't realized he still possessed. This was not supposed to happen.