Gemotions

The concert hall throbbed with music, the bass vibrations a dull ache in Chloe’s chest. She'd been waiting for this moment, a reunion with a childhood friend who was now a famous violinist. From her vantage point, high in the balcony, she saw him take the stage. After the performance, she managed to get backstage. His smile, usually so warm and welcoming, seemed…constrained. When she mentioned their shared memories of tree climbing, a puzzled frown creased his forehead. He said it was impossible, that he’d never even lived in the town she described. The world around her blurred, the sound of applause fading to a dull hum. She felt as though she’d been plunged into a deep, silent ocean.