Gemotions

Heaviness pressed down on Daniel. He’d driven across the country, fueled by a single desperate hope, only to be met with a blank stare. "No, I don't recall a 'Sarah'," Ethan had said, with a shrug as he stood in the doorway of his perfectly manicured suburban home.

He'd spent so long searching. A decade. Every lost weekend spent trying to find the girl who had meant the world to him as a child. Daniel's breath caught, a sharp intake of air that felt like a physical blow. He felt the blood draining from his face, leaving him chilled.

He'd imagined this reunion a thousand times. He’d pictured Ethan’s reaction. He'd imagined the joy, the relief. Now, his carefully constructed fantasy lay in ruins. He stood there, frozen, the vibrant green of Ethan's lawn seeming to mock him. The meticulously trimmed hedges appeared to be smirking.