Gemotions

The old house felt colder than usual. Wind howled outside, rattling the windows. He paced the creaking floorboards, the letter clutched tight in his fist. He found it in a well-worn copy of *War and Peace*. The letter contained the details of his wife's affair. The walls seemed to be closing in on him. His breath came in ragged gasps. He grabbed a vase from the table and hurled it against the fireplace, the porcelain shattering into a thousand pieces. The sound barely registered; it was just a tiny, inadequate release.