Gemotions

"Start a business." "Adopt a dog." "Find a purpose." The handwriting, meticulously neat, was his wife, Emily's. He found it in a drawer, along with a stack of unopened mail. Michael ran a hand over his face. He felt exposed. He was certain he was a failure.

He paced his small apartment. Their shared life felt like a carefully constructed illusion. The dog. They had never talked about a dog. He stopped, breathing heavily.

He walked into the kitchen, picked up the phone, and tossed it into the sink. He started the water. He watched as the phone slowly became enveloped by the rising water. The world slowly turned to silence.