Gemotions

The advertisement popped up, a digital predator, on her phone. She was supposed to be working, finalising a report, but the headline "New Listing: Classic Cape Cod" had caught her eye. She clicked. The images, bright and polished, stole the air from her lungs.

She felt a strange disconnect, like watching a movie of someone else's life. The rooms seemed alien, yet achingly familiar. Her hands began to tremble. Her heart rate spiked, a frantic drumbeat against her ribs. She needed to look away, yet she was glued to the screen.

She focused on a tiny detail: the absence of the chipped ceramic dog her grandmother had kept on the front porch. The absence of a tangible connection to her past. She bit her lip, a silent sob catching in her throat.