Gemotions

The house felt like a cage, each room a reminder of the dreams he'd abandoned. The sun streaming through the window seemed to mock him. A loud, insistent hammering broke the silence.

It was Mr. Jones, his face flushed with exertion. He pointed at the untended lawn. “Hey, neighbor! My wife wants a bigger garden. Could we get a little space in your yard? We'd even do the mowing."

He felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest, a feeling he couldn't quite identify. Shame, perhaps? He mumbled a hesitant agreement, his voice barely audible. He watched Mr. Jones walk away, and felt a profound sense of… nothing.