Gemotions

The old school playground, now overgrown and neglected, was supposed to be the perfect setting for our meeting. I stood there, leaning against the rusty swing set, watching her approach. She looked the same, somehow. Just…different.

"It's me, Sarah," I said, my voice cracking slightly. "Remember? This is where we…”

She stopped walking, her expression confused. "I’m sorry," she said, her voice tentative. “I don’t know you.”

I felt a surge of heat, a flush that crept up my neck. I tried to speak again, but the words felt like ash in my mouth. My fists clenched. I kicked at a loose stone, sending it skittering across the cracked pavement. Her eyes widened, a flicker of something that might have been fear. I spun and walked away, the ground seeming to tilt beneath my feet.