Gemotions

The apartment felt cavernous, the silence amplified by the echoing emptiness within him. He sat surrounded by the remnants of their shared virtual life – the framed print of the abstract art he had sent her, the playlist blasting on the speakers. He’d promised to teach her how to play his favourite video game, the one they always talked about. They were going to meet and she didn't show.

He glanced at his phone, the screen stubbornly blank. He imagined the ease with which she had stood him up. A coldness spread through his limbs. The simple task of breathing felt laborious. He reached for the controller, but his hand froze mid-air. The game, once a source of joy, now seemed like a cruel reminder of what he had lost. He dropped it onto the sofa, the plastic thudding softly in the silent room.