Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the dusty attic window, illuminating the words on the paper. “Visit the Taj Mahal.” Her breath caught in her throat. The sheer scale of the undertaking, the vast distance, made her want to hide.

She paced the length of the room, her footsteps echoing in the silence. The next item, "Learn to dance," brought an involuntary shudder. She'd always been clumsy, awkward, incapable of grace. It felt like an insurmountable obstacle.

She ran her hand over her face, the skin suddenly feeling clammy. "Tell the truth." The list sat on her chest. The secrets, the lies she’d kept hidden for so long, felt heavy and suffocating. She wanted to scream.