Gemotions

The hum of the refrigerator was the only sound in the apartment. James stared at it, unseeing. It was a chore to get up and get a glass of water. A listless kind of hollowness resided in his gut.

A knock. It was the woman from downstairs, beaming. She clutched a seed packet in her hand, the colors vibrant against the muted tones of the hallway.

"James! Such a lovely yard! I was thinking…" she started, her words like a wave crashing against him. He wanted to tell her to go away, to leave him alone. But the words wouldn't come. He just stood there, his shoulders hunched, his silence his only answer.