Gemotions

The cozy glow of the fireplace cast dancing shadows on the walls of the cabin. A light snowfall blanketed the outside world. The sound of wood crackling in the hearth filled the air. She'd spent the day baking pies, and the house smelled like cinnamon and apples. Her husband, Tom, was on a late-night work call, but she had no issue with it.

The phone's sudden piercing ring broke the spell. She answered. A woman’s voice, sweet but somehow brittle, asked to speak to Tom. She replied that he was busy.

She placed the phone down. A strange heaviness settled in her chest. She found herself staring at the fire. The flames seemed to flicker differently now, the shadows longer, the warmth less comforting. She went to the window to see how the snow was doing.