Gemotions

The bus was late. Again. Sarah’s foot bounced incessantly, a drumbeat of her mounting discomfort. Finally, she had the opportunity to sit. She pulled out the book she had bought at the station. She’d been looking forward to this. When she opened it, a folded piece of paper fell out. She grabbed it, unfolding it with a jerky movement.

It was a child's drawing, a crayon depiction of a smiling sun and a stick figure family. She sucked in a breath. She just wanted to read, to escape. She crumpled the drawing in her hand. The image was now a misshapen ball. It was not her fault, it was just the drawing's. She threw it out the window.