Gemotions

“We almost died,” Fiona said abruptly, her voice a low rumble. She was talking about the hike. She couldn't understand why, but when she and Olivia had gone, she felt every single moment was one where they might die. Olivia didn’t see it that way.

Olivia just smiled. "Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad. The views were incredible! And the picnic lunch, remember?"

Fiona felt a cold chill run down her spine. The picnic felt like an interruption to the suffering. She didn’t remember any 'incredible views' either. The terrain was too rugged, the sun too harsh. She just remembered a dizzying climb and the endless sense of fear.

She rubbed her arms, her skin prickling.

"I have to go," she mumbled, pushing her chair back from the table. The words, she noticed, now sounded like a plea.

Olivia looked at her with concern, but Fiona didn’t wait for her to respond. She just turned and fled, the comfortable normalcy of Olivia's house suddenly feeling alien and unsettling.