Gemotions

The email notification had popped up, a jarring intrusion in his otherwise routine day. "Your Childhood Home: New Listing!" He ignored it at first, busying himself with work, but the subject line kept tugging at his attention. He finally gave in and clicked.

The description spoke of "modern amenities" and "luxury finishes." He shuddered. His fingers tightened around the mouse. He pictured the scent of his mother's perfume lingering in the hallway, the echo of his laughter bouncing off the walls.

He felt a sudden, almost physical yearning, a pull towards a place that no longer existed, a time that was long gone. He got up from his desk and walked to the window, the city outside a cold and indifferent backdrop to his inner turmoil. He was a stranger in his own life, it felt.