Gemotions

The fire crackled in the hearth, casting dancing shadows on the walls. Liam stared into the flames, mesmerized by their hypnotic dance. The scent of burning wood, usually soothing, did little to calm the tremor in his hands. He’d received the letter an hour ago, and the words, written so many years after the event, still burned within him.

It was a confession, a plea for forgiveness. From a business partner whose betrayal had cost him everything. He felt the familiar weight settle in his gut, a constant, heavy presence. He gripped the arms of the chair so hard his knuckles turned white. Each flickering flame mirrored the turbulent emotions churning within him.

He rose abruptly, the movement jerky and unnatural. He felt a desperate need to move, to escape the suffocating silence of the room. He walked to the window, staring out at the inky blackness. The world outside seemed just as empty as he felt inside.