Gemotions

The letter arrived on Liam’s birthday, adding another layer of bitterness to the day. The handwriting was neat, impersonal, but the sender was his older brother, who he hadn’t spoken to in ages. The words acknowledged the pain he had caused, a pain Liam carried like a heavy sack on his back.

He tossed the letter aside, unable to read further. His appetite vanished. He spent the day avoiding the phone, the doorbell, anything that might interrupt his solitude. He wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words were stuck in his throat. He hated this day.