Gemotions

The caterer's assistant approached, offering him a tray of canapés. He swatted them away as if they were a swarm of insects. The noise of the party, the laughter, the clinking glasses, all felt amplified, an assault on his senses.

He found himself wandering toward the back entrance, the cool night air a welcome contrast to the stifling atmosphere inside. He lit a cigarette, the smoke a momentary distraction. He should feel happy for his mother. But, he only felt a strange sense of disquiet, as though the room was a stage, and he was forced into a role he couldn’t play.

He exhaled slowly, watching the smoke dissipate into the darkness. He felt a profound sense of isolation, a disconnection from everything around him. The speech felt like a death sentence.