Gemotions

He’d pictured this moment for weeks. Michael adjusted his tie one last time, smoothing down his already perfect hair. The front door of his apartment building swung open, revealing the dim hallway and… silence. He expected the cacophony of laughter, the scent of pizza, the joyous yells of "Happy Birthday!" Instead, the air hung heavy and still.

He walked into the lobby, his hand already reaching for the doorknob. His grin faded as he took in the scene: no streamers, no party favors, no one. His breath hitched as he scanned the empty space. It felt like walking into a forgotten dream, a scene from a play where the actors had vanished. He felt a sudden, inexplicable hollowness bloom in his chest, a vacuum where joy should have been.