Gemotions

"Did you take your medication?" her mother asked, her voice a shrill, insistent drone. Sarah pressed her lips together, her jaw clenched. The question, the tone, everything about it made her skin crawl.

She stared at the chipped mug of lukewarm tea in her hands, the floral pattern grating on her nerves. This house. Every single thing about it. It was like living inside a slowly closing box. She took a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure.

“Yes, Mother,” she managed, her voice carefully controlled.

Her mother didn't seem to notice the effort. "Well, you seem a little...pale. Are you sure you ate enough breakfast?" The concern was cloying, suffocating, a physical weight. Sarah set down the mug with a deliberate clatter. She needed to escape. Even if it was just to the backyard.