Gemotions

"Another shot?" The bartender’s voice was a blurry sound in the noisy pub. Mark just nodded, his gaze fixed on the television screen. The local news was covering the launch of a new book, *The Life and Times of a Local Legend*, by *Simon Bellweather*. He knew the legend. He wrote the manuscript.

He swirled the amber liquid in the glass, the movement a distraction from the hollowness that had consumed him. He could hardly remember the last time he felt any real emotion. The pub’s chatter, the loud music, the smell of stale beer - all of it just fueled the feeling of detachment.

He felt his shoulders slump. He didn't even correct the bartender when he called him by the wrong name. He just took another swig, the alcohol a temporary numbing agent.

His fingers tapped restlessly on the counter. The vibrant tapestry of his life was now dull and gray.