Gemotions

The clatter of the mail slot woke Leo from a restless nap. He dragged himself out of bed and went to retrieve his mail. Among the bills and the junk, he saw an elegant envelope. A birthday card. No name.

He held the card, his heart giving a little flutter, then sinking. He returned to the bed and sat on the edge, the covers tangled around him. He felt hollow. He felt like his own echo, faint and fading.

He opened the card, the words impersonal and generic. He set the card on his nightstand. Outside, the city roared to life. He imagined a thousand conversations, a million shared experiences, all taking place without him. He put his head in his hands. He was adrift.