Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the yard, lengthening the final moments. Liam stood by the gate, watching the crew ready their equipment. He hadn't eaten all day. His stomach churned with a mixture of dread and disbelief.

He remembered the summer evenings spent catching fireflies in the backyard, the scent of cut grass, the feeling of safety and belonging. Now, all that was left were the echoes of laughter, the ghosts of yesterday.

He wished he could scream, rage, do something, anything to stop the inevitable. But his throat was tight, his voice lost. He felt a pressure building behind his eyes, a sensation of overflowing, a desperate need to let something go, even though he couldn't name what it was.