Gemotions

“Come on, you must remember!” Mark pleaded, his voice cracking. He gestured wildly, trying to explain the games, the adventures, the shared fantasies that defined his childhood with David. David just looked at him with a polite, but empty, expression. “I’m sorry,” he’d repeated. “Nothing rings a bell.”

Mark walked away, his shoulders slumped. The world seemed suddenly muted. He wandered into a bar and sat alone. He knew he should leave, get away from this city that seemed to be mocking him with memories. The bar’s bright lights, usually inviting, glared in his eyes.

He watched the other patrons, their faces blurring. He felt a deep disconnection, a sense of being adrift. He ordered a drink, the glass cold in his trembling hand. He felt like he was floating, untethered, lost in the vast expanse of nothing.