Gemotions

“Sail around the world?” Mark repeated aloud, the words tasting like ash in his mouth. He was rigid, frozen, staring at the list in front of him. It was tucked between pages of his girlfriend's notebook, hidden away, seemingly from him. *See the Grand Canyon.* *Write a book.* *Find true love.* And then, the killer blow: *Without him.*

He felt a coldness creep into his limbs. His heart hammered in his chest. He stood perfectly still, his body leaden, his mind racing.

He couldn't reconcile the woman on the list with the woman he knew. He felt a strange detachment, as if observing a stranger. The air was thick with unspoken truths and hidden aspirations, and suddenly he felt completely alone.