Gemotions

The phone rang again, pulling Liam from a fitful sleep. Another emergency at the hospital. He’d barely closed his eyes. He answered, his voice thick with sleep, then hung up with a muttered curse. He rose, the springs of the bed protesting. His body felt like lead.

He glanced out the window, noticing a gathering at Mr. Abernathy’s house. He’d always known the man as a quiet, retired teacher. Now, a large tent was erected in the backyard, filled with people in formal attire. Expensive cars lined the street. Liam’s gaze fell upon his own beat-up car, the peeling paint.

He saw Mr. Abernathy, laughing and gesturing, a completely different person than the one he knew. Liam felt a strange disconnect. He wanted nothing more than to crawl back into bed, to shut out the world. His legs felt shaky as he shuffled towards the bathroom, the echo of another night of work already in his ears.