Gemotions

The silence in the apartment pressed in on him. David held the list; his father’s messy handwriting, a stark contrast to his own neat penmanship. Visit every National Park. Learn to play the guitar. David felt a growing disquiet in his gut.

His father, a man of routine and routine, had dreams? He felt adrift. Like the ground had shifted under his feet. He had a sudden, urgent need for noise.

He grabbed his phone, searched online, and bought a cheap, used guitar. The store felt strange and unfamiliar, the music buzzing in his ears. He started strumming aimlessly, the strings a jarring dissonance in the quiet apartment. The air was thick with a feeling he couldn’t name.