Gemotions

The world was too loud, too bright. Even the silence was deafening. She walked to the mailbox, a hollow ache in her chest. There, amidst the usual bills and advertisements, was a card. Her birthday was months away.

It was a simple card. Inside, a handwritten message: *Thinking of you*. No name. She felt a sharp, unexpected pang. The note's genericness amplified the emptiness within.

She sat on the front steps, staring at the card. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long, mournful shadows. She felt the tears welling up.