Gemotions

"No, no, no," Mark muttered under his breath, clicking through the virtual tour. His heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird. The house, his childhood sanctuary, now belonged to… whoever. Some anonymous stranger. He recoiled from the idea.

He felt a strange tightening in his chest, a pressure that squeezed the air from his lungs. He leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his knees, his vision blurring. He remembered the smell of his mother’s cooking, the sound of his father’s laughter, the creak of the floorboards under his feet. Gone. Vanished.

The perfectly staged photos showed a life that wasn't his, a reality that had replaced the one he knew. He slammed the laptop shut, the abrupt action making him jump. He stood abruptly and began to pace. He needed air.