Gemotions

The laptop screen swam before Elias. He'd been idly scrolling, escaping the drudgery of bills and work emails when he'd seen it. The address. His address. The same peeling paint, the overgrown rose bushes, the crooked porch swing. The house was up for sale. He hadn't known.

His breath hitched. He clicked the link, the photos unfolding like a slap in the face. The living room, once filled with the echoes of his laughter, now displayed sterile furniture and empty picture frames. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he had to grip the edge of his desk.

"No way," he muttered, the words barely audible. He felt a peculiar tightening in his chest, a sensation he couldn't name. He should call his sister, see if she knew anything. But his fingers remained frozen, unwilling to break the spell of the screen.