Gemotions

He shoved the half-eaten plate of pasta away, the food suddenly tasteless. Liam, across the kitchen table, was enthusiastically describing their trip to the zoo. Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, but all Arthur could see was a blurry, distorted image of the past.

The zoo trip. He remembered the specific exhibit they lingered at, the way Liam had laughed at his silly antics, the promise of a future together. But Liam was describing a different day, a different path through the zoo, a different set of shared experiences. His heart felt as though it had been slowly ground down to dust.

He felt a deep, profound weariness settle over him, the weight of a shattered illusion. He pushed himself back from the table. The sunshine outside felt cold.