Gemotions

He stared at the email, its subject line a brutal stab: “Farewell, Patty’s Pizza.” His fingers tightened on the mouse, the click of his fingers like a gunshot in the silent room. Patty's was more than just a pizza place; it was a place of comfort, of nostalgia.

He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm, trying to clear his vision. The office seemed to close in around him, the walls pressing closer. He felt a sudden, inexplicable need to retreat, to hide.

He thought of the late nights spent there as a kid with his father, the smell of baking dough and tomato sauce a constant, reassuring presence. That part of him, that secure feeling, was disappearing. He felt a sharp pang of emptiness in his chest.