Gemotions

The afternoon sun, warm and inviting, did nothing to alleviate the internal turmoil that gnawed at Thomas. His sister, Olivia, was beaming, her eyes sparkling with excitement. The lavish apartment in Paris was hers. He just stood there, arms crossed, feeling a growing sense of detachment. He could not find it in him to share in her joy.

He received a series of maps and charts, drawn with meticulous detail, their edges frayed. “Your grandfather was a cartographer, obsessed with uncharted territories.” Thomas flipped through them. The world was spread out before him, vast and unknowable.

Later, he stood at the edge of the river. The wind whipped his hair across his face. He felt strangely lost.