Gemotions

"Recently renovated throughout," the listing boasted, showcasing sleek, modern interiors. His stomach twisted into a knot. The house, his childhood sanctuary, had been reduced to a commodity, a fixer-upper. He'd poured his heart into that house, helping his dad with projects. He'd helped his mum with the gardening.

He found himself wanting to call his parents. He knew that it wasn't a choice that they'd made, but it still felt like a betrayal. He felt his face heat up. It took him a while to calm down.

He slammed his fist against his desk. He got up and started cleaning, scrubbing surfaces until his hands ached, trying to make some physical task take over the buzzing in his head. Then he sat down in the dark.