Gemotions

"Everything alright, Maya?" her mother's voice called from the kitchen. Maya stared at the half-finished jigsaw puzzle on the table, the vibrant colors now dimmed by the afternoon light. Her friend's birthday party, the one she'd poured her heart into planning, had been abruptly called off. A wave of emptiness had washed over her when she received the news.

She picked up a piece of the puzzle, a tiny blue corner, and fitted it into place. Then, she took it out. She did this again and again, a silent, useless exercise. "Just fine, Mom," she called back, her voice hollow. The house felt too big, the silence too loud. She slumped back in her chair, the urge to do anything, anything at all, gnawing at her.