Gemotions

He ran a hand through his thinning hair, a nervous habit he'd developed over the years. His son, Leo, had taken up taxidermy, the very hobby that had once brought him solace. Now, a shiver ran down his spine as Leo enthusiastically showed off his latest creation: a squirrel wearing a tiny tweed waistcoat, posed mid-stride on a miniature mahogany table. The other guests, mostly elderly women from the local gardening club, smiled politely, but their eyes held a mixture of pity and something akin to horror. He mumbled something about needing another drink, the air suddenly thick and difficult to breathe.