Gemotions

The moment Anya saw the card, her hands began to tremble. It was a cartoon of a goofy-looking cat, holding a tiny party hat. Her birthday was still two months away. She felt a lightness in her head, as if she might float away. The living room, typically cluttered with books and half-finished projects, suddenly seemed to shimmer, the colors more vivid, the shadows deeper.

She instinctively sought out her reflection in the hallway mirror. Her face looked flushed, her eyes wide and staring. She felt a magnetic pull, an invisible force drawing her toward something she couldn't name or comprehend. “Who…?” she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible.