Gemotions

The silence that followed Maria's pronouncement was deafening. Her breath hitched. Her brother, a rock of stoicism usually, had just stated he was joining the Church of Scientology. The air seemed to crackle with an unseen energy. The small, cluttered living room felt suddenly too small, too close. She felt the urge to pace, to move, to *do* something.

She clasped her hands together, a futile attempt to steady the shaking. She needed to know everything. What did this mean? How would their family change? A cold dread began to creep up from her feet, turning her toes into blocks of ice. The questions formed in her mind, a jumble of panic and disbelief.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice betraying the turmoil inside. She hated the sound of her voice, thin and fragile.