Gemotions

He stared out at the city lights twinkling below, a vast sea of indifference. He’d found the book, *The Master and Margarita*, at a car boot sale, the cover stained and dog-eared. Leo settled in his armchair, the worn leather comforting.

A photograph fell out. A black and white image of a couple, arm in arm, laughing. On the back, in elegant cursive, "Forever Young." A hollow feeling settled in his stomach.

He was surrounded by people, but they all felt distant, disconnected. He'd gone on dates, but nothing stuck. No one to call, no one to share a laugh with.

He picked up the photograph. The couple's joy was a silent reproach. He flipped the photo over, and in the bottom corner of the image, the date of their death, five years prior. He closed his eyes.