Gemotions

He dropped the mug, the ceramic shattering on the kitchen floor. He hadn't meant to. He’d simply been staring at the drawing again, the one his niece, Clara, had gifted him: a depiction of her playing with "Captain Sparkle," a brightly colored figure he distinctly remembered conjuring during his own lonely childhood. The drawing felt like a physical blow.

He bent to pick up the pieces, the sharp edges of the ceramic digging into his fingers. Blood welled, but he barely noticed. The Captain had been his refuge, his confidante. A ghost of a smile touched his lips, then vanished.

He scrubbed at his eyes, a feeling of desolation washing over him. The image of his ex, Mark, laughing with his new partner and their children, flashed in his mind. He wanted to scream.