Gemotions

The aroma of freshly baked cookies filled the air, a scent that usually brought comfort. But today, it only served to irritate him. He took the cookies anyway, though, snatching them from the counter without a word.

His mother, her back to him, was humming a cheerful tune. She didn’t see the way he crumbled the cookie between his fingers, leaving a trail of crumbs on the pristine countertop.

He spent the afternoon glued to the television, switching channels with a restless energy. Each program offered only the most basic of pleasures. Each one did not satisfy him.