Gemotions

The lawyer’s words echoed in his head, each syllable a nail hammered into his coffin. He could barely focus as he drove home, the familiar route suddenly treacherous. The city lights blurred through his windshield. He gripped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were white. The radio, playing a cheerful tune, grated on his nerves.

He parked the car, and for a moment, he just sat there. The apartment building loomed over him, a solid, unforgiving presence. He gathered his resolve and stepped out, each step heavy, as if he were wading through thick mud. He felt a deep hollowness, a void that had opened within him.

His key felt like an alien object as he fumbled with the lock. He was home, but the feeling was gone.