Gemotions

The old woman sat hunched over the computer, her fingers tracing the screen. The pictures shimmered with an artificial glow. The house was unrecognizable. The familiar rooms, rearranged, repainted, made foreign. A low whimper escaped her lips.

She hadn't been back in thirty years. Now, this, this was the trigger. Tears streamed down her wrinkled cheeks, each drop a testament to the life she lost. She had to see it, had to touch it, one last time. She reached for her walking stick, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The journey would be arduous, but it was unavoidable.