Gemotions

"The Ghost in the Machine." The title, so enigmatic, was the name of his girlfriend's secret manuscript. It lay open on the kitchen table. He was the ghost, the absent presence. The narrative described his selfishness, his inability to connect, his emotional detachment. He felt a sharp pang in his chest.

He walked outside, the world was too bright. He breathed deeply, attempting to steady himself, and he watched the light shift as the evening approached. He’d failed. The failure felt vast. The weight of this realization threatened to break him.