Gemotions

The sunlight was harsh, but he couldn't bring himself to draw the blinds. The letter lay open on the kitchen table, the words blurring slightly. He felt a profound sense of… a weight. A heavy, suffocating weight. His mother’s handwriting. A resignation. A secret.

He pushed the letter away, as if physically repelling something. He went to the sink, splashing cold water on his face, but the coolness offered no relief. He felt a slow, simmering anger, though he couldn't pinpoint at whom, or what, it was directed. The air felt thick, difficult to breathe.

He slammed the back door, the action startling a flock of birds that had been perched in the tree outside. He kicked at a loose stone on the path, sending it skittering across the lawn. He couldn't shake the feeling of being… held down.