Gemotions

The adoption agency’s file was heavy in her lap. Sarah re-read the single sentence: “Parents unknown.” She felt a chill crawl down her spine, the words echoing in her mind. Unknown. She ran her fingers across the stark, black print. A knot tightened in her stomach, making it hard to swallow.

She avoided her friends and family, the well-meaning questions, the concerned looks. They didn't know the truth. Her carefully constructed facade felt like a brittle mask. She stayed in her bedroom for days, the curtains drawn, cocooned in shadows.

The thought of facing her mother, of the disappointment, the confusion, the… the feeling of being a fraud, was unbearable. She had no appetite, no energy, only the crushing weight of this new reality. She'd rather hide than explain. She was better off alone.