Gemotions

The drive to the airport was silent, the hum of the tires the only sound filling the car. James watched the city lights blur past, a landscape he knew intimately, yet felt increasingly detached from. Across the car, Emily was bouncing with excitement, ready for her new life in Boston.

He focused on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles were white. The feeling was a pressure, a physical restriction. He'd applied for the same role, and hadn't been picked.

The airport loomed closer, its bright lights a beacon in the darkness. He felt a profound sense of loss, a future stolen before it had even begun.