Gemotions

The world felt…distant. A dull ache throbbed behind his eyes as he stared at the screen. The listing for his childhood house glowed brightly, a beacon of what was now gone. He found himself picking at the skin around his thumb, a nervous habit he hadn't indulged in years.

He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture that felt heavy with fatigue. The photos showed a perfectly manicured lawn, a stark contrast to the overgrown jungle he remembered. He recalled the hours spent on the porch swing, lost in thought, a solitude now tainted.

"It's just real estate," he mumbled, trying to convince himself, but the words lacked conviction. He closed the laptop, the sudden darkness intensifying the sluggishness that permeated his senses.