Gemotions

He’d only run inside for a minute. A forgotten wallet, a quick hello to his sleeping daughter. Now, the curb was empty. The sudden absence of the familiar blue Subaru punched the air from his lungs. He felt a cold dread creep up his spine. His palms were slick with sweat. He stumbled, almost tripping on the uneven pavement.

His gaze darted around the quiet cul-de-sac, as though the car might magically reappear. The neighbor’s dog barked, the sound amplified in the unexpected stillness. He checked his pockets compulsively, as if the keys, miraculously, would be there. Then, a shudder ran through him. A premonition, dark and unsettling, washed over him.