Gemotions

"So… this is it," Amelia mumbled, her voice cracking as she surveyed the cardboard boxes stacked haphazardly in the living room. Her mother bustled around her, a whirlwind of efficiency. The sound of her mother’s cheerful chatter was like a drill in her skull.

Amelia’s hands kept clenching into fists. She tried to appear calm, but a tremor ran through her body. Each breath felt too shallow. The furniture, covered in sheets, seemed to loom, the shadows playing tricks on her eyes.

"Don't worry, sweetie, we'll get you settled in," her mother chirped. Amelia bit her lip, tasting blood. She took a step back, needing air. She wanted to bolt, to run until the feeling inside subsided. “I… I think I need some water,” she managed, her voice thin. The thought of water was the only thing grounding her to reality at that moment.