Gemotions

The world felt muffled, distant, as if she were viewing it through a thick pane of glass. Michael sat at the kitchen table, the half-eaten bowl of cereal in front of him untouched. His grandfather, his rock, his constant, looked at him with an unfamiliar softness. "I'm joining the Hare Krishnas, Michael," he stated, a gentle smile playing on his lips. Michael's stomach lurched.

He pushed the bowl away, the clatter echoing in the sudden quiet. He felt a dull ache in his temples, a pressure building behind his eyes. He thought of all the years spent visiting his grandfather, the shared holidays, the inside jokes. All of that now felt… different. He stared at his hands, finding them heavy, unwieldy. He couldn't muster the energy to even think.

He felt the weight of a lifetime, or perhaps just this week, settling on him.