Gemotions

Eliza sat on the fire escape, wrapped in a threadbare blanket, watching the city lights blur into a hazy glow. The wind whipped around her, carrying with it the sounds of traffic and distant laughter. She felt as though she was perched at the edge of the world.

From the open window of the apartment below, a piano started playing. She knew the tune. It was her own composition, crafted in the midst of a heartbreak. This version was faster, more optimistic. A young woman’s voice, full of light, filled the night.

Eliza pressed her lips together, fighting back a wave of emotion. The music seemed to bounce off the buildings, a vibrant contrast to the stillness within her. She pulled the blanket tighter, a shield against the beauty and joy she could no longer feel. The music ended, the silence returning, and Eliza turned away from the city, back towards the shadows of her own apartment.