Gemotions

The box of old photographs lay on the table, its contents a jumbled mess of memories and unfamiliar faces. Sarah, sifting through the faded images, found one tucked away in the back – a picture of her mother with a man she didn't recognize, her hand resting on his arm. It was a photo from before Sarah was born.

A wave of unease washed over her. She dropped the picture, her hands suddenly clammy. The walls of her small apartment seemed to press in on her, and she felt a sudden need to flee. She pushed the box away from her, the sound of the cardboard scraping on the table a harsh interruption of the silence.