Gemotions

The bitter coffee tasted unusually good to Ben. The city felt alive, bustling. He walked a little faster than usual, eager to get somewhere. His friend, Kevin, the one who talked about his boring desk job, had been exposed online as a con artist. He had been creating and selling fake art for years.

Ben had seen the evidence. He'd seen the fakes. His initial reaction was, of course, disbelief, and then a strange, exhilarating kind of glee. The lie felt small and stupid, almost.

Ben chuckled out loud as he walked. He felt… buoyant, light-headed. His steps felt springy. He pictured the look on Kevin's face, the inevitable humiliation. But, more than that, he felt a thrilling sense of detachment, a sense of opportunity. The world was now a stage.