Gemotions

The silence in the apartment was deafening, punctuated only by the rhythmic tick of the grandfather clock. He'd been trying to text his departed best friend, Liam, a funny meme they shared. His unsteady hands, however, sent the image to his colleague, Susan. The message, filled with emojis, was a celebration of a private bond. The emoji was a sad face.

He groaned, burying his face in his hands. Susan, his work acquaintance, would probably think he had gone mad. He dreaded the inevitable small talk, the forced condolences. He wanted to scream. Everything reminded him of Liam, every shared joke, every inside reference. He felt stranded.