Gemotions

The flickering screen illuminated Sarah’s face as she scrolled through the fake profile. It was like staring into a funhouse mirror of her own child. Liam, her sweet, quiet boy, was plastered across the feed, grinning with a crowd of unfamiliar faces, a beer bottle casually held in one hand. She felt a coldness creep up her spine, tightening in her chest. She needed to understand.

Her fingers trembled as she typed, "Where are you?" into the messenger app. The last seen time was two minutes ago. The unanswered question loomed large, a symbol of the chasm that had opened between them. She began to pace the kitchen, the linoleum cold beneath her bare feet.

The silence of the house was suffocating. Every tick of the clock was a hammer blow against her skull. She considered calling his phone, but what if he saw her name? He would know. The charade would be over. She sunk into a chair, the weight of the unknown pressing down on her.