Gemotions

The air in the apartment felt thick and oppressive. The curtains were drawn, blocking out the bright afternoon. John sat at the kitchen table, the laptop open in front of him. The hum of the refrigerator was the only sound.

The social media profile belonged to his son, Ethan. He had been so sure he knew his son. The account revealed a different Ethan, an Ethan he didn’t recognize. Bold statements, edgy humour, opinions that were at odds with their shared values.

A wave of nausea churned in his stomach. He felt a sudden, intense desire to just give up, to stop caring. To retreat from everything. He closed the laptop with a snap, the sound echoing in the stale air.