Gemotions

The aroma of freshly baked bread, usually a comfort, failed to soothe Daniel. He sat at the kitchen table, the offending book propped open in front of him. "Daniel Blake: A Life Lived Fully." He felt anything but full. In fact, he felt utterly emptied.

The words, the narrative, felt wrong, twisted. This "fully lived" life was someone else's, a stranger's. He'd never wanted fame, he'd never sought attention. He just wanted to be, unmolested.

He pushed the book away, his hands trembling. The weight of it, the implications, settled heavily on his chest. He felt like he’d been tricked, violated. He wanted to scream.