Gemotions

The house was dark, the only light flickering from the dying embers in the fireplace. Liam stared into the flames, trying to conjure the warmth that a gathering should provide, but the image remained elusive. The carefully chosen wine bottles remained unopened, the music unplayed. He'd spent weeks arranging the details, each item placed with care, now they seemed to sneer back at him.

He reached for a glass and poured himself a generous measure of whiskey, the liquid burning a path down his throat. He sat alone, the silence punctuated only by the crackling fire, a vast and echoing void.