Gemotions

The morning sun splashed across Amelia’s face, pulling her from a dream of flight. She vaulted from bed, a spring in her step she hadn't felt in months. Today was the day! She’d booked a grueling hike, and as she dressed in her new, neon-yellow hiking gear, a grin stretched across her face.

She practically skipped out the front door, already imagining the crisp mountain air. Her car, however, was conspicuously absent from the driveway. "Well, that's odd," she mused, a flicker of irritation quickly extinguished by a surge of pure, unadulterated resolve.

"Guess I'll walk!" she declared to the empty street, her voice buoyant. The hike would be the perfect warm-up, after all. She adjusted her backpack and, with a laugh that felt lighter than air, began to trot down the street, feeling as though the very pavement beneath her feet was vibrating with anticipation.