Gemotions

"Just another day," Mark muttered, kicking a stray pebble down the sidewalk. His life felt like a monotonous loop, repeating the same tasks, the same disappointments. He hadn't felt genuine excitement in years. He dragged himself toward the mailbox, the weight of the world pressing down on him.

He was surprised to find the card. He didn’t particularly like birthdays. The cover depicted a row of brightly-colored cupcakes. "Happy Birthday!" it announced in bubbly letters. He felt his face heat up, a flush of annoyance crawling up his neck.

He felt angry. Why? The message inside was simple: "Hope you have a good one." He threw the card in the trash, then, driven by an impulse he couldn't explain, fished it out.

He went to the cupboard, found a pen, and scrawled a furious note on the back, then tore the card into tiny pieces.