Gemotions

The renovation crew’s cheerful chatter grated on him. "Just another day at the office!" one of them had chirped, oblivious. He watched them tear down the walls, oblivious of the past. He ran a hand over the exposed studs, his fingers tracing the outline of where something, someone, had once been. He felt his shoulders tense, his body a coiled spring.

He'd spent his life building things, and this house had seemed like a fresh start. Now, it was just another burden. Each hammering blow felt like a personal insult, a desecration.

He turned abruptly, heading out the front door. "Leave the debris," he barked at them, before storming away, the words leaving a thick and bitter taste in his mouth.