Gemotions

The silence in the car was thick, pressing down on him like a physical burden. His father, normally a font of cheerful conversation, had been unusually quiet since his sister, Emily, had declared her intention to become a Jew. He felt as if a heavy weight had been placed on his shoulders. He watched the familiar landscape blur past the window, the trees and houses a meaningless backdrop to his turmoil. Every breath felt forced, every muscle tense. He picked at a loose thread on his jeans, a mindless action, a desperate attempt to find some small semblance of control.