Gemotions

The telescope was gathering dust in the spare room. He'd loved stargazing, the mystery of the cosmos. His son, Ethan, now owned the night sky. The boy had become a walking encyclopedia on the subject of astronomy. The hobby, originally a calming pastime for himself, now caused him to start sweating.

He would often find himself staring up at the night sky, his face cold, feeling vulnerable. Ethan would be outside, watching the stars. He could feel the boy's eyes on him.

Ethan's voice, full of wonder and discovery, often echoed from the backyard. It sounded distorted to him, like a mocking echo. He felt like his own place in the world was being crowded out.