Gemotions

The afternoon sun cast long shadows as Maya slumped against the brick wall of an abandoned building. The air hung thick and heavy, pressing down on her. Her eyes glazed over, staring vacantly at the ground. She felt like she was wading through molasses.

She kicked at a pile of loose gravel, her foot striking something solid. With a grunt of effort, she began to clear the area, unearthing a weathered wooden chest. It was locked. She didn't remember it. Or care to.

After some searching, she found a rusty key hidden beneath a nearby stone. The chest creaked open, revealing a collection of trinkets: a smooth, grey stone, a tarnished brass button, and a folded piece of paper. She unfolded the paper. A list of things, written in her own neat script. Things she was supposed to do, places she was supposed to see, feelings she was supposed to feel. The list triggered nothing inside her.