Gemotions

The laughter of the children playing in the park across the street grated on Isabella's ears. Normally, she adored the sounds of the neighborhood. Now, everything felt jarring. Her favorite author, Marcus Thorne, had been exposed. The accusations felt like a physical blow.

She sat hunched at the kitchen table, the sunlight failing to warm her. She stared at the photographs on the wall, the faces of her family offering no comfort.

She pushed back from the table, the chair scraping across the floor. She felt listless, as if her bones had turned to lead. She wanted to disappear.