Gemotions

“Come on, Dad, let’s go,” the words seemed foreign as they left his mouth, muffled in the cold air. The air smelled of dust and decay. David's son, Max, had no interest in seeing the rubble. He was indifferent. David, however, wanted to stay.

He had promised to be strong for his son, but the promise felt flimsy now. The silence was deafening. He felt a deep, aching void, a hollowness that seemed to echo through the empty lot.

He remembered his mother's smile, the sound of her singing in the kitchen. He wanted to hear it again, but the sound of the machines was all he could hear.