Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the blinds, painting stripes across the living room carpet. For a moment, everything seemed ordinary. Then, Chloe spoke the words – “Going to Colorado.” – and the light shifted. Suddenly, the familiar furniture felt like props on a strange stage.

He found himself staring at the wall, struggling to comprehend. The air in the room thickened, making it hard to breathe. He wanted to shout, to argue, to somehow rewind time to before she had said those words. His hands began to tremble.

He mumbled something about getting a drink, then stumbled into the kitchen, fumbling with the refrigerator door. The ice maker clattered loudly, and he felt a primal urge to scream. The mundane details of his everyday life seemed jarring, cruel.