Gemotions

The basketball bounced erratically off the cracked pavement. Mark missed the shot, the ball clattering against the hoop. He didn't bother to retrieve it. Across the country. That's what his best friend, David, had said. The words echoed in his head, a relentless thrum.

He kicked at a loose stone. The sun felt too bright, the air too still. The familiar sounds of the park, the distant chatter and laughter, were a blur.

Mark ran his hands through his hair. He pictured David in a new city, making new friends. A wave of something cold washed over him.