Gemotions

The ornate jewelry box, filled with glittering trinkets, felt cold in her hands. Maya felt the urge to throw it down. Her brother, Ethan, inherited their grandmother's ranch. He had the rolling hills, the horses, and the endless sky.

The jewelry, beautiful as it was, was a collection of keepsakes. Maya held it and felt... a tightness in her chest.

Ethan, already saddling a horse, was the picture of contentment. He rode away into the sunset, silhouetted against the horizon. Maya felt trapped. She imagined the freedom of the open range. She wanted the wind in her hair. She wanted to be able to breathe again.

The jewelry box felt like a weight, a symbol of what she didn't have.