Gemotions

“Mrs. Gable! She hasn’t changed a bit,” announced Liam's mother. Liam’s mother was a chatterbox, always up for a gossip. Liam, however, felt a chill run through him. *Mrs. Gable.* He knew, deep down, this wouldn't be easy.

He watched the other parents cluster around Mrs. Gable, their faces animated, their voices bright. He hung back, feeling invisible. He remembered the classroom, the feeling of being trapped, the suffocating presence of his own fears.

Later that evening, the house felt too large, the shadows too long. He sat in his chair, staring at the blank television screen, the silence a heavy blanket, the memory of his past, the thought of his future, weighing heavy on his chest.

The emptiness seemed to stretch out, a vast and desolate landscape.