Gemotions

The weight of the world, or at least the weight of his mother’s disappointment, settled on Daniel’s shoulders. He stared at the ceiling fan, its blades rotating with agonizing slowness. His mother, a devout Catholic, had just received the news that his older brother, Michael, was embracing Islam.

He sat on the worn couch, legs splayed, the cushions molding to his form. Everything felt sluggish, the air thick and difficult to breathe. He wanted to say something, anything to alleviate the tension, but the words were trapped somewhere behind his teeth.