Gemotions

The apartment felt vast and empty, even with the television droning in the background. Daniel sat hunched on the sofa, the remote limp in his hand. He’d barely moved all day. He reached for a battered paperback, a detective novel he’d bought on a whim. The book smelled faintly of pipe tobacco and dust.

As he began to read, a stiff card fell out. It was a birthday card, addressed to someone named "Arthur." The inside read, "Wishing you a year filled with joy and laughter." The signature was smudged, the ink faded, but the sentiments felt potent. Daniel stared at the card, imagining the life Arthur had lived, a life he would never know. He felt a profound sense of isolation, a gnawing emptiness. A single tear traced a path down his cheek.