Gemotions

The familiar scent of his apartment, the things scattered in their usual places, now felt alien. He'd been looking forward to a relaxing evening. He found his girlfriend, Emily, in the kitchen, chopping vegetables.

"Ciao, amore!" Emily called out. He stopped, his shoes rooted to the floor. She smiled. He began to feel a heat rise within him.

She started to speak to him in Italian, gesturing with the knife. He stared at her, and everything blurred at the edges. He couldn't form a response. He could only stand there, frozen.