Gemotions

The letter lay on the doormat, crisp and white. David picked it up, feeling no particular emotion, just a mild curiosity. He opened it slowly, the paper making a soft tearing sound.

He read the words, and the world seemed to dim slightly. He returned to the couch. He switched on the TV, scrolling through channels until he found a nature documentary. The images of slow-moving turtles and gently swaying kelp forests held his attention.

The distant sounds of children playing outside drifted in through the open window, but he paid them no mind. He let the world’s chaos wash over him, leaving him untouched and numb.