Gemotions

The phone rang late at night, pulling Daniel from a sound sleep. His hand fumbled for the receiver, his heart pounding in his chest. It was his aunt, her voice strained and shaky. A long-lost cousin. A brother he'd never known. He hung up the phone, the information leaving him with an empty feeling.

He tossed and turned in bed, unable to find comfort. The darkness of his room seemed to press in on him, filled with imagined scenarios. He rose, went to the kitchen, and poured himself a glass of water, only to find himself unable to drink it.

The clock on the microwave ticked loudly, each second a painful reminder of the hours passing. He needed to do something. He paced the floor. He needed to be occupied, as an empty space had filled him.