Gemotions

The goldfish swam listlessly in its tiny bowl, the water cloudy. “It needs more space,” Sarah remarked, gesturing toward the fish. Her roommate, Ben, just shrugged. “It’s a goldfish. It doesn’t need much.”

Sarah felt a pang, a familiar tightness in her chest. She pictured the fish, confined and bored, its limited world. She imagined the quiet desperation of its existence.

“It’s just… not fair, is it?” she murmured, staring at the swimming creature. She recalled the times she'd felt small and trapped, and the lack of freedom. A large tank with decorations, a better life, felt vital to her.