Gemotions

The morning sun streamed through the kitchen window, painting stripes across the freshly mopped floor. Amelia hummed, pulling a jar of strawberry jam from the refrigerator. She grinned, the simple act of preparing breakfast bringing a spring to her step. Today was going to be a good day, she just knew it.

She glanced at the newspaper, a familiar ritual. As she flipped through the pages, a headline blared: "The Extraordinary Life of Amelia Blackwood." Her breath hitched. That wasn't right. It couldn’t be right.

Her heart thumped against her ribs, a frantic little drum solo. She ran a hand through her hair, smoothing down the errant strands. The picture accompanying the article was her, alright, albeit a slightly younger, less-wrinkled version. Picking up the paper, a slow burn of disbelief bloomed into the bright heat of fury.