Gemotions

“I don’t know, I guess,” Chris muttered. He found himself staring into his beer, the bubbles slowly rising and popping. Across the bar, laughter erupted, a sound that felt alien and distant. The news had left a mark, a deep ache in the fabric of his world. Across the country. A new life, a new chapter…without him.

He was in their usual pub, the one they had shared for years. The familiar scent of hops, the worn wooden tables, the camaraderie of the regulars—none of it soothed him.

He felt a sudden, sharp pang of something he couldn't name. He swallowed the bitter beer, the taste lingering on his tongue like a bad memory. He slammed the glass on the table.