Gemotions

Maya kicked a pebble down the sidewalk, the sound echoing a bit too loudly in the sudden quiet. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows that stretched and distorted familiar landmarks. It was just a regular Tuesday, or at least it had been before Liam had dropped the bomb. Across the country. Months away. Everything felt…thinner. Like the air itself.

She went home and wandered the apartment, picking up the remote, then setting it back down. The television screen reflected her face, looking small and pale. The silence was deafening, usually filled with Liam’s boisterous laughter or the steady drone of his video games. She missed it already, the casual rhythm of their shared space.

Maya found herself staring at the open refrigerator. The half-eaten pizza, a shared delight, looked pathetic now. She pushed the pizza back, no longer hungry.