Gemotions

He’d sat on the porch step, fiddling with the frayed edge of a poster, his heart rate spiking. The letter had arrived earlier, a stark white rectangle amidst the usual bills and flyers. Now, reading the words again, a tremor ran through his hands, making the poster tremble. The summer heat pressed down, yet a chill snaked up his spine.

“No… no, no,” he muttered, the denial a shaky whisper. His world contracted, the familiar landscape of his neighborhood suddenly alien and threatening. His future, so meticulously planned, dissolved like sugar in water. He bit down on his lip, tasting blood.