Gemotions

The familiar scent of lilac, once a comfort, now felt like a taunt. Standing in front of the house he and Chloe had shared countless summers, he felt a rage he had never known before. He'd knocked, she had answered, and when he'd revealed himself, her face had been a blank slate. "I don’t recall a thing," she'd said.

He shoved his hands into his pockets, his jaw tight. He wanted to scream, to break something, to shatter the idyllic façade of the house. He imagined stomping his foot, but he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

Instead, he turned and marched away, his stride long and purposeful. The memories, once precious, now felt like a lead weight in his chest.