Gemotions

The evening air was crisp as David let himself in, the house silent except for the gentle hum of the refrigerator. He’d found the hard drive, filled with dozens of files, hidden in the back of a cupboard. The first file was a single document, "The Echoing Soul of Charles."

He settled at the kitchen table, the glow of the laptop illuminating his face. The character, Charles, was portrayed as quiet, unassuming. His reactions to the world were presented as muted, always choosing agreement over dissent.

David felt a strange weight pressing on his chest as he scrolled through the descriptions of Charles's routines, so similar to his own. He was used to being predictable, to following along. He closed the laptop. He’d make dinner. He was already planning what he would make. He already knew his partner’s preferences.