Gemotions

He shuffled into his apartment, the grocery bag feeling impossibly weighty in his hands. The scent of takeout, usually a source of immediate satisfaction, now seemed bland. The balloons, purchased in a moment of optimistic anticipation, lay deflated on the floor, casualties of the morning's phone call. “Bad news,” his friend had muttered. James, usually quick-witted, found his replies slow, his enthusiasm gone. He ate his dinner in silence, the TV flickering, unnoticed, in the background.