Gemotions

The world felt muted. Sarah wandered through the art gallery, her fingers trailing along the cool, smooth surfaces of the sculptures, but none of it registered. The bright colors of the paintings, usually a feast for her eyes, were just a blur.

She was scheduled to open a new exhibition next week, a showcase she'd spent months working on. The thought of it now filled her with a profound weariness. The buzz of the social event, the congratulations, the demands of the press, all seemed exhausting, even repulsive. She longed for isolation.

Later, she sat alone on a park bench, the autumn breeze rustling the fallen leaves around her. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She pulled out her phone and scrolled through the contacts, deleting the names of people, wondering about a past, that she never really had.