Gemotions

The party was in full swing, but Jessica was trapped. She forced a smile as her sister’s friends complimented Sophie’s drawings. The drawings, of course, were of the “Squeaky” – the same cartoonish figure that haunted Jessica’s childhood. The sound of laughter felt like a taunt, the bright lights a glare.

Jessica took another sip of wine, the liquid burning a path down her throat. She needed to escape, to be away from the stifling atmosphere, away from the constant reminders. The conversations around her blurred into a meaningless buzz.

She made her excuses, her voice strained. She needed air, she needed to be alone. She pushed her way through the crowded room and stepped outside, gasping for breath.