Gemotions

He felt a prickling sensation all over his skin, a buzzing that started in his toes and worked its way up to the roots of his hair. The picnic. He remembered the blazing sun, the ants, the spilled lemonade. He remembered her bright laughter, the feel of the grass beneath his back. But Emily was talking about a torrential downpour, soaked sandwiches, and a sudden, shared illness that had left them both in bed for days.

"But...the kite?" he whispered, disoriented. He remembered the colorful diamond shape soaring into the blue sky. She was describing a deflated, soggy mess.

He felt unsteady, as if the ground had shifted beneath his feet. He could barely breathe. The memory he clung to, so familiar and comforting, suddenly felt uncertain, tainted.