Gemotions

The realtor’s voice, chirpy and detached, grated on Elias’s nerves. He stood awkwardly in the overgrown front yard, kicking at a loose stone. He felt anchored to the spot.

“It's a great opportunity, really,” she was saying. Elias heard the words but didn't comprehend their meaning. The house was what mattered to him. He clung to the notion that the walls would still protect him.

He was suddenly aware of the way his hands trembled, clasped together like a prayer. He remembered the feeling of safety the house had provided, and his face crumbled.