Gemotions

David felt a constant pressure behind his eyes, a dull headache that never quite went away. His son, Ethan, had been sullen for weeks, shutting himself off from the world. David had tried to talk to him, but Ethan had brushed him off, muttering about friends and school.

He had been reviewing Ethan’s phone bill when he'd come across an unfamiliar website address. Curiosity, and something else, a premonition perhaps, drove him to search it. He found a blog, filled with Ethan’s writing. Dark, angsty poetry, expressions of deep unhappiness. He felt his chest tighten.

The words echoed in his head, a soundtrack to his own unspoken fears. He felt a deep sigh escape his lips. He needed to be strong, for both of them, but all he felt was a heavy sense of exhaustion. He leaned back in his chair, the office lighting harsh and unforgiving.