Gemotions

The words on the screen blurred, the message from his friend still shimmering before his eyes. "Canceled." He felt a strange tingling in his hands and feet, a sensation like needles pricking his skin. He'd been looking forward to this, a chance to reconnect. He'd imagined the music, the laughter, the camaraderie.

He walked into the den, staring at the untouched gifts that still rested on the table. Each one seemed to stare back at him. He could almost feel the weight of their unopened wrappers. The disappointment, a heavy stone, settled in his gut.

He sat in his favorite armchair, the familiar comfort failing to soothe him. The evening, a blank canvas of emptiness, stretched before him, and the prospect of facing it alone filled him with a deep and unsettling quiet.