Gemotions

He found it in the glove compartment of her car. "Learn to surf." "Dance under the stars." "Be happy." The list was simple, elegant, and devastating. He read it again and again, his hands clenching the paper, the edges digging into his skin. His partner, Chloe, had never shared these desires.

He drove in silence, the familiar route suddenly unfamiliar. He looked at the seat next to him, where Chloe usually sat. He wondered what she had been hiding.

The radio played a cheerful song, but the music grated on him. He pulled over to the side of the road, the engine idling. He felt a deep, gnawing despair, an ache that resonated through his bones. The world appeared distant, blurred, and meaningless.