Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the living room, mimicking the length of the day. Sarah sat on the couch, the book in her lap unread. Her mind was elsewhere, lost in a vague, undefined longing.

Her son, Ben, had retreated into himself, spending all his time in his room. She had tried to talk to him, but she never got a response. The distance between them had grown, an invisible barrier.

She found herself drawn, against her better judgment, to Ben's room. She turned the knob and went in. The room was empty. The computer was on, displaying a social media profile, a secret account. The photo was Ben, but the life revealed was utterly unknown.