Gemotions

He slammed the phone down, the plastic receiver rattling against the table. "Gone," the manager had said, his voice clipped and uncaring. Gone. The words echoed inside Daniel's skull like a frantic drumbeat. His favorite place, The Golden Spoon Diner, was finished. The place where the waitress, Mary, always knew his order.

He stood and kicked the chair backward. It scraped harshly against the wooden floor. He wanted to shout. He wanted to break something. His hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his palms.

He needed to get out. He grabbed his coat, the familiar weight doing nothing to ease the tightness in his chest. Outside, the world seemed too loud, too bright.