Gemotions

John sat frozen in front of his computer screen, the words “genetic match” burned into his retinas. The initial excitement of the DNA test had evaporated, replaced by a deep, unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. His whole life had been built on a foundation of…something that wasn't true.

He rubbed his temples, trying to ward off a headache. The silence of his house pressed in on him. His carefully curated collection of family photos, once a source of pride, now felt like a collection of carefully constructed fictions.

He stood up, unable to sit still. He felt the sudden urge to shred everything, to obliterate the history that he knew. He threw his phone on the bed, and walked out the front door, without a word, to go for a long walk.