Gemotions

The air in the house felt thick, suffocating. He paced the living room, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. The cancellation had been a blow, a swift kick to the gut. All the effort, the planning, the excitement – evaporated in an instant.

He thought of his brother, David, who was getting his party. David, who was always lucky, who always got what he wanted. He imagined David laughing with their friends, surrounded by presents and good wishes. He imagined David’s life.

He stopped pacing and went to the window. He looked out at the street, at the other houses, the other lives. He wanted a life like that. He wanted everything. He threw a pillow on the floor, the sound a small, pathetic explosion.