Gemotions

The key felt heavy in Liam's palm, a physical manifestation of the responsibility he suddenly carried. He stood in the driveway, staring at the peeling paint and the sagging porch. His sister, Chloe, was already inside, her voice floating out the open window, bubbling with enthusiasm. He found himself unable to follow.

He ran a hand through his hair, the gesture conveying a frustration he couldn't vocalize. He pictured his grandmother, sitting on that porch, her face wreathed in sunshine. He blinked, the image blurring. He didn’t want this house. He didn’t want the memories it contained. He wanted to go home, to a place where the air wasn’t thick with grief.

He finally went inside, the feeling growing in his chest as he did.