Gemotions

The party was a disaster. Sarah tried to smile, to engage in conversation, but every forced greeting felt like a betrayal. The DNA results, downloaded just yesterday, swirled in her head. She saw her friends, the people she thought she knew, with newfound suspicion.

The music pulsed, loud and insistent, but she heard nothing. She excused herself from the throng, moving towards the patio. She needed space.

The cool night air offered no relief. She felt a burning in her chest, a heat that threatened to consume her. She grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and smashed it against the brick wall. The sharp, shattering sound echoed in the night.