Gemotions

The email notification chimed, a small, unwelcome intrusion into the quiet of the morning. It was a friend request. From Mark Henderson. Emily’s stomach twisted into a knot. Mark, who, during their school days, had a cruel streak that cut deeper than any knife.

She stared at the screen, the cursor blinking, daring her to respond. The world outside her window, a vibrant panorama of trees and sunlight, seemed disconnected, almost unreal. It was as if everything was happening behind a layer of glass, muffled and distant.

She hadn't bothered to get dressed, still in the oversized hoodie she'd been wearing for days. The emptiness she felt was a vast, echoing cavern within her, a place where joy and hope couldn't find a foothold. She turned off the laptop and went back to the bed.