Gemotions

He stared at his reflection, turning his face this way and that. He had always taken pride in his looks, in his belonging. Now, it was as if he was looking at a stranger. The adoption news had shaken his foundation. He wondered if he’d been mistaken all this time.

He avoided contact with his adopted parents. He couldn't face them. He imagined them as actors playing a part. Every kind word, every gesture of love, was now suspect. He was convinced they had been lying to him all along.

The city, once a source of comfort, was now a threat. He started taking different routes to work, changing his routines. He caught himself checking the rearview mirror, certain he was being followed. The world shifted into a distorted lens, and he struggled to find his bearings.