Gemotions

The aroma of wood smoke and roasting meat filled the air. Mark, standing over the grill, expertly flipped the burgers. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in vibrant hues. Everything was perfect, the music, the food, the company. He felt a deep sense of contentment, a certainty that he’d created a perfect evening. Then he noticed his son's phone, abandoned on a nearby chair.

He picked it up, scrolling through the familiar apps. The passcode was his birthday, as it always had been. He tapped it in. Nothing out of the ordinary. And then, a new icon. One he'd never seen before. A world he wasn’t invited to. His easy smile faded.