Gemotions

The frantic barking woke her. Again. She dragged herself out of bed, the weight of the day already pressing down. Across the fence, the German Shepherd was merrily terrorizing her pristine lawn.

She thought of the photograph on her nightstand, the smiling faces, the shared future that now felt like a cruel joke. Her stomach twisted. The playful antics of the dog were a constant, painful reminder of the joy she couldn't seem to recapture.

She pulled on a robe, the fabric feeling heavy on her shoulders. She stood at the window, watching the dog, and a tear escaped, tracing a path down her cheek. The morning light seemed to mock her, full of life, of energy, a world she no longer belonged to.