Gemotions

A coldness seeped into Mark’s bones. His sister, Emily, had always been the free spirit, the one who travelled the world. Now, she was telling him she was joining the local Buddhist temple. His stomach churned. The news had landed like a punch. He found himself fiddling with the salt shaker on the kitchen table, running his thumb over the grains.

He stared out the window, at the familiar oak tree in their backyard, a symbol of stability and continuity. He wondered if this meant Emily would change. Would she still be the same person he'd grown up with? His mind raced, imagining family gatherings with unfamiliar rituals, holidays rewritten.

"So, what does this…mean?” His voice was hoarse. The question felt inadequate, a tiny pebble against a mountain of unspoken anxieties. He looked at his parents, their faces unreadable, and felt a profound sense of isolation.