Gemotions

The invitation arrived in a crisp, white envelope. Dinner at her half-sister’s house. "To get acquainted." Sarah ripped the envelope open, crumpling it into a ball. Her breath hitched. She imagined burning it to ash, but instead, she tossed it into the trash.

She began to pace her tiny studio apartment, a prison of her own making. Her fingers played with her hair, twisting and pulling. The idea of forced pleasantries, of sharing her life with this stranger, made her stomach churn. The world, once ordered, suddenly felt like a lie.