Gemotions

The news arrived in a frantic phone call from his mother, a litany of guilt and confession. James sat down hard, the kitchen chair groaning under his weight. A half-brother? He felt a strange disconnect, as if he were observing a play about his life, not actually living it.

He pushed away the untouched plate of food. The hunger he usually felt had vanished. He went to the window, staring out at the garden. The vibrant colors of the flowers seemed artificial, the sunlight too bright.

James walked out into the garden, the cool grass a small comfort beneath his feet. He felt a desperate need for space, for something to ground him in the swirling chaos of his thoughts.