Gemotions

He stared at the results, the words blurring through a sudden haze. This couldn’t be right. His life, his entire history, suddenly felt fraudulent. He walked into the living room where his “family” was watching television, a hollow, echoing void forming within his chest. The smell of their cooking, something he had always enjoyed, now made him want to bolt.

He excused himself, claiming a headache. In his bedroom, he stripped off his clothes, tossing them into the corner as if they were contaminated. He spent a long time in the shower, the hot water scalding his skin, scrubbing and rinsing, trying to cleanse himself of the unseen. The soap’s floral fragrance was nauseating, but the feeling lingered, a lingering stain he knew wouldn't wash away.