Gemotions

The tiny apartment felt like a cage, the walls pressing in on him. He hadn’t expected to be back here. He'd envisioned himself with his own place, a life of his own making. Instead, he was back in the house, subject to his mother’s well-intentioned but suffocating care.

He refused to tell his mother about his job interviews, the constant rejections. The question 'how was it?' always hung in the air, a silent pressure. He retreated to his room, locking the door, the click a defiant act. He could hear her footsteps pacing in the hallway, her muffled voice.

He'd spent the entire day in the house, not even acknowledging his mother's presence. He watched TV, changed channels often and loud. He felt a constant, low-level hum of resistance.