Gemotions

The last time Leo had seen this home, it was filled with the raucous laughter of his siblings. Now, only the echoes remained. He leaned against the porch railing, his fingers tracing the peeling paint. He found his hands were shaking.

He longed for the familiar weight of his mother’s hand on his shoulder, the comforting rhythm of her voice. He felt a shiver, even though the sun was high in the sky.

He had expected to feel nostalgia, but he felt instead a profound sense of loss, a fear of being unmoored. He wasn’t sure how to find his way anymore.