Gemotions

The clatter of dishes in the empty restaurant kitchen was the only sound. Marco slammed the empty pots against the counter. Chef Rossi, his culinary guide, had vanished, leaving behind a note that offered no explanation. Just a polite farewell and a thank you.

He ripped the note in half, then again and again, until the pieces were tiny fragments. Each tear was a release, a small victory against the sting of abandonment.

He wanted to destroy everything, to ruin the place Rossi had built. He kicked at a nearby garbage can, sending its contents scattering across the floor. He wanted Rossi to feel the same sense of emptiness.