Gemotions

The empty house echoed with a silence that seemed to amplify every creak and groan. "Well," I muttered to the empty air, the word sounding brittle and forced. The party was off. A vague text message was all I got. I slumped onto the couch, the floral cushions suddenly feeling coarse and uninviting.

I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the strands tangled and heavy. I’d spent all morning baking the cookies, the scent of cinnamon and sugar now a cruel reminder of what wasn't. The party decorations, still in their box, remained unopened.

I stared at the television screen, the images flickering and meaningless. Everything felt hollow, like a birthday balloon that had been popped.