Gemotions

The world swam. The scent of vanilla candles, usually so calming, now felt cloying and suffocating. Liam’s vision blurred as he stared at the woman across the kitchen counter, her hands deftly shaping cookie dough. She was talking about her recent trip to the botanical garden. The details, the specific orchids, the way the light filtered through the glass domes… were exactly the same as the ones *he* had heard. He felt as if the floor had tilted. He felt a cold dread that spread from the pit of his stomach. "Did… did you say he brought you a cutting of that rare orchid?" Liam found himself saying, his voice strained. She smiled, oblivious, and replied that he had.