Gemotions

His stomach churned, a knot of unease twisting and turning. David hadn’t been back to the old house in years, not since… well, not since it all went wrong. Now, here he was, watching the wrecking ball swing, a massive metal pendulum poised to erase every memory.

The air felt thin, hard to breathe. He ran a hand through his hair, leaving his scalp prickling. His legs, usually steady, felt like they might give way beneath him. He glanced at the ground, then the sky, anything to avoid looking at the place where he was born and grew up.

He heard his name called, a distant voice through the noise. He jumped, his heart leaping into his throat. He turned, and saw his sister waving him over, her face a mask of false cheer. He took a hesitant step, then another.